PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, who on Monday was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan, during his address to the national assembly raised the Kashmir issue saying he wants good ties with India but not without peaceful resolution to the Kashmir question.
"We want good ties with India but it cannot happen without a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir question. We will raise the issue of Kashmir on every international platform," said newly elected Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif.
"I'll advise PM Modi to understand that there is poverty on both sides. I call upon Modi to come and resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue and then let's fight poverty together," Sharif added.
Shehbaz, 70, was the only candidate left in the race after former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will boycott the voting and staged a walkout.
"Sharif has secured 174 votes… and has been declared as prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan," according to the formal result announced by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who presided over the session after Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri said his conscience did not allow him to conduct the session.
In the House of 342, the winning candidate should get support of at least 172 lawmakers.
In his maiden address to the house as the prime minister, Shehbaz said that it was the first time in Pakistan's history that a no-confidence motion against a prime minister had been successful. "And good has prevailed over evil," he said.
He said today is a "big day" for the entire nation as a "selected" prime minister has been sent home in a legal and constitutional manner.
Shehbaz, the younger brother of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said that the US dollar's value declining by Rs 8 today signified the "happiness of the people".
He acknowledged the apex court's "unanimous" verdict, saying the day when the Supreme Court gave its judgment should be marked as a “historic day” in the history of Pakistan.
On the letter controversy, Shehbaz said the letter came on March 7, but decisions to bring a no-trust motion was made way before that.
"So, if (what the previous government claimed) is a lie, then the matter should be disclosed transparently before the public," he said.
He announced that the parliament's security committee would be given a briefing on the "threat letter" to the members of the committee in presence of the armed forces personnel and bureaucrats — the Inter-Services Intelligence chief, foreign secretary, and the ambassador who wrote it.
"If there's an iota of evidence that we were backed by foreign conspirators... then with you Mr speaker and God as my witness, I will not think for another second and resign from the office of the prime minister," Shehbaz said, vowing to hold an in-camera session of the security committee at the earliest.
He also lauded China for its support to Pakistan at the world stage and said the friendship between the two countries will remain intact. He also thanked his brother and ex-premier Nawaz Sharif for his support.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held in the President House where President Arif Alvi would administer the oath of office to him later Monday.
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