NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif and said that India wishes for peace and stability so that both the countries can work towards mutual development challenges.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, “Congratulations to H. E. Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. India desires peace and stability in a region free of terror, so that we can focus on our development challenges and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people.” Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday evening hours after being elected by the National Assembly of the country.
Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif was administered the oath by the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani after President Arif Alvi fell ill.
Shehbaz Sharif, President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former leader of the Opposition, was elected the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan by the National Assembly of the country earlier today.
US welcomes Shehbaz Sharif
A democratic Pakistan is critical to the interests of the United States, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, hours after Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the prime minister.
Ex-prime minister Imran Khan repeatedly blamed the US for backing the no-confidence motion — that lead to his ouster early Sunday — and has refused to accept the newly-elected premier, saying “there can’t be any bigger insult to this country” — but the Joe Biden administration denied any role.
In a press briefing at the White House, Psaki said: “We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles, we don’t support one political party over another.”
The White House press secretary said the United States “certainly” supports the principles of rule of law and equal justice under the law.
Will Biden call Shehbaz?
Psaki added that the US values its long-standing cooperation with Pakistan and has always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests — that remains unchanged regardless of who the leadership is.
In response to a question about whether Biden would call Shehbaz, Psaki said: “In terms of future calls, I don’t have anything to predict at this point and time, obviously, we stay in close touch with them at a range of levels.”
Since Biden assumed the US president’s office in 2021, Imran Khan and Biden did not hold a telephonic conversation.
Turkish President
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on becoming the 23rd premier of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, in a telephonic conversation with Shehbaz, Turkish President Erdogan told the newly-elected prime minister that he was “extremely happy” about him being elected as the premier.
“I am sure that under your leadership, Pakistan-Turkey’s brotherly ties will bolster,” said Erdogan, who called Shehbaz hours after the lower house of the Parliament elected him.
In response, Shehbaz said he aspired to bring both the countries closer during his tenure as the prime minister and thanked Erdogan for his congratulatory telephonic call.
Pakistani leaders felicitate
Major political leaders including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N leaders Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Rana Sanaullah among others were present in the oath-taking ceremony held at President House in the federal capital.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, naval chief, air chief and other senior military and civilian officials also attended the ceremony.