Imran Khan sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd PM

Islamabad: 'Kaptan' Imran Khan on Saturday began a new innings as Pakistan's Prime Minister, assuming the reins at a time when the country was facing serious financial woes, uneasy ties with its neighbours and possible international sanctions for failing to combat terrorism. Khan, 65, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was administered the oath of office as Pakistan's 22nd Prime Minister by President Mamnoon Hussain at a simple ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (the President House) here.

The ceremony, which was scheduled to begin at 9:30am, started 40-minute late. It commenced with the national anthem, followed by recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.

Clad in a traditional greyish black sherwani, a tearful former cricket hero was seen little nervous as he stumbled over some of the Urdu words of the oath administered to him.

Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, former Indian cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, diplomats and other special invitees attended the ceremony. Wasim Akram and other members of the 1992 cricket World Cup winning team that Khan captained to victory also watched the ceremony alongside senior PTI leaders.

"A new morning is here in Pakistan with a new government which can change destiny of the country," Sidhu said, hoping that Khan's victory will be good for Pakistan-India peace process.

India's relations with Pakistan remains strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016. The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a Pakistani military court in April last year has further deteriorated the bilateral ties.

Pakistan's relations with war-torn Afghanistan has also plunged over the issue of cross-border terrorism.

The US has long been frustrated with Pakistan's overt and covert support to the Afghan Taliban and other terror groups, forcing the Trump administration to warn Islamabad and to slash military aid to the country.

Khan has assumed charge days after a delegation of the global financial watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) asked Pakistan to strengthen its laws and implementation against terror financing and money laundering.

The Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering, which visited Pakistan this week, will submit a report to the Paris-based FATF which placed the country on its 'grey list' in June.

The delegation, according to media reports, has asked Pakistan to enact appropriate laws enabling local officials to act upon requests of foreign countries to freeze illegal assets and extradite those involved in terrorism financing and money laundering.

Pakistan needs to comply, by September next year, with a 10-point action plan it committed to the FATF earlier this year, to escape sanctions.

Prime Minister Khan has said that his initial focus would be on reviving Pakistan's battered economy. Pakistan's currency, the rupee, has declined significantly in the last year. Inflation is on the rise and the country's trade deficit is widening.