Pakistan’s parliament has been elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as interim prime minister of pakistan after three-time leader Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court. Pakistan’s president Mamnoon Hussain called the special parliamentary session late on Saturday after Sharif put forward Pakistan Muslim League leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as will be the interim PM of Pakistan, CNN-News18 and ANI confirmed.
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Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, 58 years old a veteran lawmaker and close ally of Nawaz Sharif, was serving as minister for petroleum until Friday’s court order. Shahid Khaqan did his master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University. He had briefly owned an airline and served as chairman of Pakistan’s national airline. Abbasi is expected to be sworn in as interim prime minister following a parliamentary vote on Tuesday as his party holds a majority in the house.
Nawaz Sharif put down Friday after a decision by Pakistan’s highest court to eliminate him from office over corruption charges. The Pakistan SC also decided that filed against the be registered against the infamous leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.
It was the third time the 67-year-old politician’s term as premier has been cut short. The much-awaited verdict stepped Pakistan into a political crisis at a time when the country is facing a poor economy and a surge in militancy. Nawaz had been a close supporter of the United States, particularly in combating terrorism and the Taliban insurgency in neighbouring Afghanistan.
The court disqualified Sharif under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution. The articles state that a member of Parliament should be truthful and righteous. The Pakistan Supreme Court also regimented the National Accountability Court to begin a corruption case against Sharif, his children Hussain, Hassan and daughter Maryam.
