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Pakistan parliament elects new PM after ousting Imran Khan

Pakistan鈥檚 parliament elected opposition contender Shahbaz Sharif as the country鈥檚 new prime minister on Monday, after ousting Premier Imran Khan. Last week, Mr. Khan dissolved his parliament and expedited elections but the Supreme Court did not uphold his move. 

First Look

Pakistan鈥檚 parliament elected opposition lawmaker Shahbaz Sharif as the country鈥檚 new prime minister on Monday, after a walkout by lawmakers from ousted Premier Imran Khan鈥檚 party.

Mr. Sharif was the only contender. He is the brother of disgraced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but his election will not guarantee a peaceful path forward 鈥� or solve Pakistan鈥檚 many economic problems, including high inflation and a soaring energy crisis.

Shahbaz Sharif was elected with 174 votes in his favor after more than 100 lawmakers from Mr. Khan鈥檚 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or Pakistan Justice Party, staged a walkout of the National Assembly in protest.

鈥淢ohammad Shahbaz Sharif is declared to be the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,鈥� announced the acting speaker, Asad Sadiq.

The former opposition will now run a truncated house with a small majority of 174 lawmakers, which is enough to pass laws in the 342-seat assembly. However, if Mr. Khan鈥檚 followers take to the streets 鈥� as he has heralded 鈥� it would create additional pressure on Parliament and deepen the crisis.

Mr. Khan, a former cricket star whose conservative Islamist ideology and dogged independence characterized his three years and eight months in office, was ousted early Sunday after losing a no-confidence vote in Parliament. Deserted by his party allies and a key coalition partner, the opposition pushed Mr. Khan out with 174 votes 鈥� two more than the required simple majority.

In a show of strength and precursor to the political uncertainty ahead, Mr. Khan rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters late Sunday to protest his ouster, and describing the next government as an 鈥渋mposed government.鈥� In cities across Pakistan, Mr. Khan鈥檚 supporters marched, waving large party flags and vowing support. The youth, who make up the backbone of Mr. Khan鈥檚 supporters, dominated the crowds.

Some were crying, others shouting slogans promising Mr. Khan鈥檚 return.

Mr. Khan has also demanded early elections 鈥� the balloting is not due before August 2023. He has tapped into anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, accusing Washington of conspiring with his opponents to topple him. His conspiracy theory resonates with his young support base, which often sees Washington鈥檚 post 9/11 war on terror as unfairly targeting Pakistan.

Pakistan鈥檚 political drama began on April 3 when Mr. Khan sidestepped an initial no-confidence vote demanded by the opposition by dissolving Parliament and calling early elections. The opposition, which accuses Mr. Khan of economic mismanagement, appealed to the Supreme Court. After four days of deliberations, the court ordered Parliament re-instated and the no-confidence vote went ahead. A marathon Parliament session started on Saturday and Mr. Khan was ousted early Sunday.

Mr. Khan claims the opposition colluded with Washington to topple him, allegedly because of his independent foreign policy favoring China and Russia. He was also criticized for a visit he made on Feb. 24 to Moscow, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine.

The United States State Department has denied any involvement in Pakistan鈥檚 internal politics.

The opposition coalition consists of parties that cross the political divide, from the left to the radically religious. The two largest parties are the Pakistan Muslim League, headed by Shahbaz Sharif, and the Pakistan People鈥檚 Party, co-chaired by the son and husband of slain ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

In Pakistan, a few wealthy and powerful families have dominated politics for decades, with power most often alternating between the Sharif and the Bhutto camps. Both political houses have been accused and at times convicted of widespread corruption 鈥� and both have denied the allegations.

Nawaz Sharif was unseated by the Supreme Court in 2015 after being convicted in connection with financial irregularities revealed in the so-called Panama Papers 鈥� a collection of leaked secret financial documents showing how some of the world鈥檚 richest hide their money and involving a global law firm based in Panama. He was disqualified by Pakistan鈥檚 Supreme Court from holding office.

Asif Ali Zardari, Mrs. Bhutto鈥檚 husband who served as president of Pakistan after the 2008 elections, has spent more than seven years in prison, convicted on corruption charges.

Both families have dismissed corruption allegations against them as being politically motivated.

Mr. Khan came to power in 2018, promising to break family rule in Pakistan but his opponents claimed he won the elections with help from the powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan for half of the country鈥檚 75-year history.

Nawaz Sharif was also ousted in 1999, in a military coup, and Benazir Bhutto鈥檚 government was ousted several times after the military sided with her opposition. In Pakistani politics, where loyalties are often fluid, Mrs. Bhutto鈥檚 fiercest opposition often came from Mr. Sharif鈥檚 party.

Shahbaz Sharif has served three times as chief minister of Pakistan鈥檚 largest, most influential Punjab province, where 60% of the country鈥檚 220 million people live. His son Hamza was elected by the Punjab provincial parliament last week as new chief minister, ousting Mr. Khan鈥檚 nominee. Mr. Khan鈥檚 party is challenging that election and the younger Mr. Sharif has yet to be sworn in.

This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽AP聽writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.