File photo of P.M.-elect Shehbaz Sharif, courtesy PMLN
Leaders of Iran, Turkey and China have congratulated Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a second consecutive term, hoping his leadership will further strengthen ties with their nations.
According to Radio Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned Shehbaz and felicitated him, stating he believed relations between Ankara and Islamabad would deepen and expand under the new government. It said the call also addressed Turkey-Pakistan relations, as well as regional and global issues.
Separately, Iran President Ebrahim Raisi also congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the prime minister of Pakistan, expressing the determination to further strengthen ties between both Islamic brotherly countries. He hoped the new government would put all out efforts for the betterment of the people and the country, adding the neighboring nations would work together to strengthen their bilateral relations.
Tehran’s Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam also extended his warmest congratulations to the P.M.-elect, saying Iran was ready to expand all-out mutual relations, ties and cooperation with Pakistan.
Also on Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang congratulated Sharif, with the former noting that under the new P.M., Pakistan would definitely achieve greater accomplishments in the cause of national development and progress.
Xi stressed that China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, continue to deepen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. This, he said, would bring more benefits for the people of both countries.
In addition to the foreign dignitaries, outgoing interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar also congratulated Sharif on his election, wishing him the best as he embarked on the important journey of leadership. “May your tenure bring prosperity, progress, and unity to our beloved nation,” he wrote in a posting on X.
Sharif was elected the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan on Sunday after securing 201 votes against 92 of his opponent, Omar Ayub Khan. In addition to the support of the PMLN, Sharif received the votes of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and National Party (NP).