Imran Khan takes oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: Imran Khan Saturday took oath of his office as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan, culminating his 22-year long grueling struggle against the ruling corrupt mafias, with a pledge to hold strict accountability and a resolve to bring back the looted wealth.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office to the new prime minister here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The event began as the trumpeters of the Presidential Guards played the arrival tune. Attired in a charcoal colored sherwani and white shalwar, Imran Khan entered the hall along with President Mamnoon Hussain and caretaker prime minister Justice (Retd) Nasir-ul-Mulk and went straight to the dias.
The national anthem was played and the Cabinet Secretary announced opening of the event with the recitation from the Holy Quran. President Mamnoon Hussain administered him the oath of office in Urdu. The 15-minute event began at 1010 hrs.

It was one of the most jam-packed events in the history of the Aiwan-e-Sadr as the Presidency staff barely managed to squeeze in over 900 seats in a hall.

Khan who secured 176 votes from the National Assembly Friday, against 96 by Mian Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League, looked relaxed after weeks of tense politicking and efforts to setup a new government, as he shook hands with a long meandering lineup of guests, lucky enough to get through the strict security and protocol cordons of the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

However jubilant party workers continued to jump lines, prompting the security to an early end to the reception.

The guests comprised diplomats, leaders of political parties, the three services Chiefs, beaming leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), close family members and the senior government officials. Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was one of the special invitees from India at the swearing-in ceremony.

Keeping in view the the desire of Imran Khan for austerity, the guests were offered tea and biscuits.

Khan's party in its Manifesto pledges to serve "as a movement to fight for a just and equitable society based on the system that Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) laid down in the Medina Charter ...  the first welfare state in the history of mankind."

The enthusiastic party supporters at the event described success of Khan as nothing but a dream come true for the cricketer turned politician who single-handedly launched his party Tehreek-e-Insaf's in 1996.

(APP)