Imran Khan ousted: What happens next?

All eyes are on the prospective candidates for key positions in the government after the recent political turmoil in Pakistani politics ended up in the ouster of PTI Chairman Imran Khan from the Prime Minister’s office through a vote of no-confidence, making him the first ever premier of the country to be voted out of power via the resolution.

Following his dismissal, a National Assembly (NA) session has been convened on April 11 (tomorrow) to elect a new Leader of the House. Voting for the new PM’s elections will take place at 2pm at the NA.

According to the NA secretariat, the aspirant candidates can file their nomination papers for the top slot till 2pm today (Sunday). The nomination papers will be scrutinised till 3pm today.

The NA will continue to function until completion of its five year term in August 2023. The new prime minister will perform his duties till the assembly’s tenure ends.

However, following the dismissal of Imran Khan from the top slot, his cabinet has automatically been dissolved and the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri have tendered their resignations. The new prime minister will choose his new cabinet to run the affairs of the government.

PML-N’s Shahbaz Sharif is being seen as the frontrunner candidate for the coveted slot of PM. He is the person most likely to be the next prime minister.

On March 29, former President Asif Ali Zardari addressed PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif as “Prime Minister” in the parliamentary party meeting of the united Opposition.

The meeting was held with Opposition leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, and attended by former President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, BNP-Mengal chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, JWP chief Shahzain Bugti and legislators of the joint opposition.

According to sources, an interesting situation arose when Asif Zardari addressed Shehbaz Sharif as “Prime Minister” and Rana Sanaullah as “Interior Minister.”

To it, Shehbaz Sharif said, “Zardari Sahib, you are intimidating the House by calling Rana Sanaullah Home Minister,” and according to sources, everybody laughed.

In the joint press conference with Balochistan Awami Party leaders in which four MNAS of the party out of five announced joining the opposition, he again addressed Shehbaz Sharif as “Prime Minister.”

Meanwhile, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s eyes are on the president’s office.

According to reports, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is likely to be appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs; however, in an interview with a foreign publication, the 33-year-old politician said that the decision regarding the ministership will be taken by his party.

Shahbaz Sharif, Qureshi file nomination papers for PM

Joint Opposition’s candidate and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi have filed their nomination papers to contest the re-election for the slot of prime minister.

Shahbaz Sharif, accompanied by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Syed Naveed Qamar, Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Mohsin Dawar, and others, submitted his nomination papers to the NA secretariat.

Shahbaz is the joint Opposition's candidate for Prime Minister.

The NA secretariat has confirmed that the nomination papers of Shahbaz have been received. No covering candidate from the Opposition has filed nomination papers for the slot.