Pakistan’s new Cabinet sworn in Islamabad

In a brief ceremony on Tuesday, Pakistan’s newly-elected prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif, swore in his cabinet.

In a brief ceremony on Tuesday, Pakistan’s newly-elected prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif, swore in his cabinet.

At the white marble palace known as the Presidency in the capital, Islamabad. Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani administered the oath to the 34 ministers. Sharif was also present at the event. Imran Khan, the former prime minister, was defeated in his election on April 11.

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Former political adversaries of Sharif are also members of his coalition government. Ministerial roles are likely to be unveiled later Tuesday.

Khawaja Mohammad Asif, a former defence minister and member of the Pakistan Muslim League, is one of the senior MPs admitted into the Cabinet. Several members of former President Asif Ali Zardari’s party, including Khursheed Shah and Sherry Rehman, are also in the Cabinet.

Sharif deposed Khan following a vote of no-confidence in Pakistan’s lower house of parliament, the National Assembly. Khan has lost power after his party supporters and a crucial coalition partner quit him earlier this month.

Since then, Khan has held protests demanding new elections, claiming that the new administration was imposed as part of a US conspiracy, a charge disputed by Washington and dismissed by Pakistan’s new government.