On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s Prime Minister.
Shehbaz became the country’s 24th elected prime minister after defeating rival nominee, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PT)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) legislator Omar Ayub Khan, by 201 votes in the lower house of parliament.
Shehbaz’s victory was expected, as he had the support of seven other parties besides the PML-N. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and National Party (NP) all endorse the newly elected Prime Minister.
In a statement, President Xi Jinping expressed confidence that the leadership of PM-elect Shehbaz and Pakistan’s new government, and under the united efforts of all sectors of Pakistan, the country would be able to make new and greater achievements in the cause of national development and progress, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.
