Shahid Khaqan Abbasi replaces Nawaz Sharif, elected 18th PM of Pakistan

Image Credit: Reuters

Islamabad: Pakistani lawmakers on Tuesday elected former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country`s new prime minister, four days after the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding the post.

Pakistan Muslim League-(N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi bagged 221 votes in the polling in the National Assembly. 

Abbasi, Naveed Qamar, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Sahibzada Tariqullah competed for the post of interim Prime Minister, Dawn reported.

Lawmakers from cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf voted for Sheikh Rashid while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the PML-N and its allies chose Abbasi.

Imran Khan did not turn up for the event.

Abbasi will be the interim Prime Minister until Nawaz Sharif's brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif formally takes charge of the federal government.

Nawaz Sharif`s ruling PML-N used its majority in the National Assembly to comfortably install Abbasi as interim PM.

This comes four days after the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from office over failure to disclose a source of income.

Shahbaz, currently the chief minister of the vast Punjab province, needs to win a parliamentary by-election before other lawmakers can elect him as prime minister.

With Reuters inputs