Shehbaz Sharif returns as Pakistan prime minister amid chaotic scenes in parliament

Allies of jailed leader Imran Khan chant ‘thief’ and ‘shame’ as Sharif delivers first speech

Pakistan’s parliament has elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new prime minister, ending a political deadlock almost a month long following elections on 8 February which were marred by allegations of rigging.

Mr Sharif was voted in by Pakistan’s National Assembly to return for a second spell as prime minister after he stood down in August last year to allow a caretaker government to conduct elections. He previously entered the role following the 2022 vote of no confidence in Imran Khan.

On Sunday Mr Sharif secured 201 votes from MPs, defeating his rival Omar Ayub Khan who stood as the candidate of choice for MPs loyal to Imran Khan, securing 92 votes. Mr Ayub is also the grandson of Pakistan’s first military dictator.

The newly-elected leader delivered his first speech amid loud protests and chants from allies of the jailed former prime minister Mr Khan, whose PTI party has alleged widespread voter fraud and that its mandate to lead the country was stolen.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party’s Mr Sharif will head a coalition government with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after no party was able to win an outright majority in the elections.

The elections took place on 8 February with Mr Khan in jail on various charges which he says are politically motivated. His PTI party was barred from formal registration for the election, and while PTI-backed independents won significantly more seats than any other party they refused to engage in coalition talks with the other major vote-winners.

The 72-year-old Mr Sharif was endorsed for the top job by his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the PML-N party, in a move that surprised analysts. The elder Mr Sharif, who is himself a three-time prime minister, returned from exile after four years in London ahead of the election and was widely presumed to be the party’s candidate for prime minister.

He is believed to have shied away from the role after his party failed to win a majority in the elections and is expected to influence key government decisions from behind the scenes instead.

“Shehbaz Sharif is declared to have been elected the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced, after which Mr Sharif hugged his elder brother.

Supporters of convicted former prime minister Imran Khan attend the KPK provincial assembly oath-taking session of newly elected members, in Peshawar, Pakistan (EPA)

In his speech, Mr Sharif took a potshot at Mr Khan, saying: “We were subjected to political victimisation in the past but never took any revenge.”

He repeated accusations that Mr Khan’s supporters attacked military installations after his ouster in 2022, adding that the parliament and the courts will decide whether those involved in the unrest deserved a pardon.

Raising portraits of Mr Khan, PTI’s allies stood in front of Mr Sharif when he began his speech, shouting “vote thief” and “shame”.

Despite managing to form a government, Mr Sharif is expected to face various immediate political challenges now that he has entered office, especially as he helms a shaky alliance in a country where no leader has yet completed a full five-year term.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, left, addresses supporters next to his newly-elected brother following initial results of the country's parliamentary election, in Lahore (AP)

A close aide of Mr Khan told The Independent on Wednesday that PTI is planning more nationwide protests and said the party “will not remain silent” after their victories in several constituencies were allegedly overturned by election officials.

The elections occurred amid delays and a nationwide mobile phone outage, justified by authorities to avoid militant attacks on candidates and security forces.

The results, which were expected to be announced on the same day, were delayed by almost 24 hours as opposition parties alleged that officials were overturning PTI victories.

The PTI party claims it has evidence that its victories “were stolen during the vote count”, a charge the election commission denies.

Mr Sharif also takes the helm of the country during an economic crisis, which he identifies as the biggest challenge for Pakistan, relying on foreign loans to sustain the economy.

His most immediate task will be to secure a new loan of at least $6bn from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the current programme of payments is set to conclude in April.

Mr Sharif emphasised last month that Pakistan urgently requires a new loan. He played a crucial role in preventing a default last year by securing the current $3bn loan programme and implemented unpopular measures, such as eliminating fuel subsidies and increasing energy prices, to fulfil the IMF’s requirements.

The new government will have to also address the internal security situation in Pakistan amid a surge in militant attacks as anti-state groups, such as the Pakistan Taliban or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan – two separate Baloch insurgent groups – remain highly active.

2023 was the deadliest year for militant attacks in Pakistan since 2017, with some 500 civilians and 500 security personnel killed, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.