Sharif to be sworn in as Prime Minister

Nawaz Sharif is expected to be sworn in for a record third term as Pakistan’s Prime Minister on  with a very small cabinet comprising close aides shortly after he is formally elected to the post. 

Sharif’s election in the National Assembly or lowerhouse of Parliament is a foregone conclusion as his PML-N party has over 180 members in the 342-member strong House. The election of the prime minister will be done by a division of the House.  63-year-old Sharif’s nomination papers for the election to the post were submitted by PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif and Abdul Qadir Baloch this afternoon. 

Contesting the election against Sharif are Javed Hashmi of the PakistanTehrik-e-Insaf and the Makhdoom Amin Fahim of the Pakistan Peoples Party, which led the previous government. Their nomination papers were also filed today. 

Sharif is expected to retain the crucial foreign affairs and defence portfolios with himself.