By KUNA
Islamabad : Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister, member of Benazir Bhuttos Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Tuesday was sworn in as the country’s 22nd Premier and President Pervez Musharraf’s fifth.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, senior PPP member, was elected as premier on Monday by the lower house of Pakistan with 264 votes against 40 votes of pro-Musharraf Pervaiz Elahi of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q).
The oath was administered by President Musharraf and the ceremony was attended by prominent political faces but without leadership of PPP and PML-N, the two coalition government partners at the center.
President Musharraf and Prime Minister Gilani stressed the need for political forces in the country to get united to effectively confront the challenges of terrorism, extremism and economic issues.
In a brief joint interaction with media soon after the swearing-in ceremony of new Prime Minister, the two leaders expressed the resolve to cooperate and take the country forward on path of progress and prosperity.
On Monday, Prime Minister Gilani ordered release of all deposed judges and demanded UN probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
The oath ceremony was held as John Negroponte, US Deputy Secretary of State, is visiting Pakistan to hold talks with the new government, mainly on counter-terrorism policy.