Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif secured his second term as Prime Minister of Pakistan on Sunday, defeating his rival candidate Omar Ayub Khan of PTI-SIC with a significant margin. Shehbaz garnered 201 votes compared to Khan's 92 in the National Assembly.

Following the announcement of his victory by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Shehbaz was congratulated by his elder brother and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as well as by Khawaja Asif and PPP leader Asif Zardari.

In his address to the House, Shehbaz expressed gratitude to his brother for nominating him for the prime minister's office. He credited Nawaz Sharif as the architect of Pakistan's progress, particularly noting his efforts in ending power shortages and advancing the country's nuclear capabilities. Shehbaz also paid homage to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto for their contributions to the nation, with a special mention of Benazir Bhutto's sacrifice for democracy, law, and justice.

The assembly session, initially scheduled to begin at 11 am, commenced nearly an hour later than planned.

Shehbaz Sharif, a member of the influential Sharif family, has been a prominent figure in Pakistani politics for almost four decades. His elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, first entered politics in 1981 as a member of the Punjab government during General Zia-ul-Haq's regime.

Meanwhile, Omar Ayub Khan comes from a political lineage, being the grandson of Field Marshal General Ayub Khan, who imposed Pakistan's first martial law in 1958. His father, Gohar Ayub Khan, has also been active in politics, previously serving as a member of the National Assembly under the PML-N banner.

Both candidates had their nomination papers approved by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq after scrutiny. Despite objections raised by Khan regarding Shehbaz's nomination process, the objection was dismissed.

Shehbaz garnered support from various parties, including PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, BAP, PML-Z, IPP, and NP, totaling 205 members, while Khan's PTI had 102 lawmakers.

The voting process for the prime minister's election followed a strict procedure, with members being required to remain inside the assembly hall until its completion.

The completion of the election cycle in Pakistan was eagerly awaited, as it was delayed due to the census and subsequent delimitations across the country.