Imran Khan sworn in as Pakistan’s new prime minister
Many Pakistanis rejoiced as Imran Ahmed Khan on Saturday sworn in as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan in a simple ceremony hosted at the Aiwan-i-Sadr.
Khan, 65, won the July 25 election promising to fight corruption and lift millions of people out poverty.
A visibly overwhelmed Khan, clad in a traditional sherwani, smiled sheepishly as he took the oath in Urdu which was administered to him by President Mamnoon Hussain and televised live by state broadcaster PTV.
PM Khan swore to “bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan”, and to “discharge my duties and perform my functions honestly, to the best of my ability… and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Pakistan.”
High-profile guests at the ceremony included Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan and Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.
Other notable guests included senior PTI leaders, cricketer-turned-commentator Rameez Raja, newly elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, singers Salman Ahmed and Abrarul Haq, actor Javaid Sheikh as well as Indian cricketer-turned-politician, Navjot Singh Sidhu.
As the swearing-in ceremony concluded, Khan was ushered to Prime Minister House, where he was presented a guard of honour by contingents from Pakistan’s three armed forces.