Pakistani lawmakers to elect next PM on August 18

The party of Pakistan’s former cricket hero-turned-politician Imran Khan says voting among lawmakers to elect the country’s new prime minister will take place August 18.

Fawad Chaudhry, spokesman for Khan’s Tahreek-e-Insaf party, made the announcement Friday.

The country’s caretaker prime minister announced Thursday that the National Assembly will meet on August 13 when newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in.

Khan is the likely next prime minister. Chaudhry said the party has the backing of 180 lawmakers in the 342-seat assembly and Khan needs 172 votes to be appointed to the post. .

Khan faces some competition from the leader of the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, Shahbaz Sharif, who has jointly been fielded for the post of prime minister by opposition parties.

Likely new Pakistan PM putting coalition government together

Pakistan’s likely next prime minister is scrambling to get his coalition government in place as the caretaker government convenes the National Assembly next week to begin the process of transferring power to a new government following last month’s national elections.

Caretaker Prime Minister Nasir-ul-Mulk asked President Mamnoon Husain on Thursday to convene the National Assembly on Aug. 13 for the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected lawmakers.

Popular longtime politician Imran Khan is expected to be elected premier next week. His Tahreek-e-Insaf party says it enjoys the backing of 180 lawmakers in the 342-seat assembly and he needs 172 votes to become prime minister for the next five years.

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