(13 Aug 2018) Pakistan's newly elected parliament convened Monday for the first time since last month's general elections that saw the party of former cricket star turned politician Imran Khan win most seats, propelling him toward the post of the country's next prime minister.
The lawmakers were sworn in at a brief ceremony in the 342-seat National Assembly, the decision-making lower house of parliament.
The parliament is to elect a speaker and his deputy Wednesday and vote on the prime minister the following day. The swearing-in ceremony for the prime minister is due Saturday.
Khan's populist Tahreek-e-Insaf party won 115 seats in the July 25 vote, requiring it to form a coalition.
In the days after the elections, party spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said more lawmakers joined the party's ranks and that it now enjoys the backing of 180 parliament members after several women lawmakers, minority and independents sided with Khan.
He needed 172 lawmaker votes to be become prime minister.
Khan has campaigned on the promise of a "New Pakistan" with justice for all, pledging to wipe out corruption and help the poor.
He has said he would run the country like it has never been run before, though some of his popular and influential backers, who joined his party weeks before the elections, have questionable pasts and some of them even face charges.
The Pakistan Muslim League party has claimed the elections were rigged to prevent disgraced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from returning to power.

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