ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif will travel to the disaster-stricken Gwadar district on Tuesday for his first official engagement as the country’s chief executive, The News reported Monday.
Shehbaz, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee for prime minister, was chosen on Sunday with 201 votes.
The PM-designate was up against the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate, Omar Ayub Khan, who received only 92 votes in the PM election.
Shehbaz received support from seven other parties in addition to the PML-N: the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and the National Party.
Later today, the PM-elect will take the oath of office from President Dr Arif Alvi, after which he will be greeted with a guard of honour when he arrives at the Prime Minister’s House on Monday afternoon.
The oath-taking ceremony is slated for 3 p.m. today.
It should be noted that the prime minister announced a commitment to addressing the deprivation of the people of Balochistan province in his first speech after being elected.
Last week, severe rains inundated the coastal city of Balochistan.
Shehbaz Sharif is expected to unveil a relief package for Gwadar, among other announcements for the province. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and key officials would also attend the prime minister during the visit.
The official sources said that the prime minister would have a hectic schedule during the first 45 days as he did in his first tenure till things are streamlined.
