Pakistani lawmakers elect Shahbaz Sharif as new premier

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's parliament elected opposition lawmaker Shahbaz Sharif as the country's new prime minister on Monday, after a walkout by lawmakers from ousted Premier Imran Khan's party.

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 — or solve Pakistan's many economic problems, including high inflation and a soaring energy crisis.

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

“Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif is declared to be the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” 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 Khan's followers take to the streets — as he has heralded — it would create additional pressure on Parliament and deepen the crisis.

Khan, a former cricket star whose conservative Islamist ideology and dogged independence characterised 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 Khan out with 174 votes — two more than the required simple majority.

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