Turkish president congratulates Pakistan's new prime minister

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a phone call Monday.

According to the Turkish Communications Directorate, Erdogan called Sharif after he took the oath of office.

Sharif was sworn-in on Monday after former Premier Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote that he attempted to thwart. Khan maintained that he was the victim of a US plot that sought his removal.

Erdogan wished that the election results will be beneficial for the friendly and brotherly people of Pakistan. He said they closely follow developments in Pakistan, to which Turkiye is bound by a deep-rooted history, friendship and brotherhood.

He also noted that Pakistan did not give up on democracy and the rule of law, despite all the difficulties and obstacles they have faced. He added that Turkiye is ready to give all kinds of support to Pakistan as it has done so far.

Sharif, the younger brother of three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a joint candidate of the combined opposition, secured 174 votes in Pakistan's 342-member lower legislative chamber, the National Assembly.

A minimum of 172 votes were required for a simple majority in parliament.

Sharif's opponent, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was the candidate of the ousted premier's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, boycotted the elections following his party's decision to resign from parliament.

Ousted Prime Minister Khan together with over 120 PTI lawmakers announced that they were resigning from parliament and "taking to the streets against an imported government."

The resignations, however, will not be in effect until the speaker of the National Assembly accepts them, according to the country's constitution.