Three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday took oath as an ordinary lawmaker in the 16th session of Pakistan's National Assembly, days after giving up his bid to lead the country for a record fourth time.
A quirk of fate following the poor show in the electoral battle led Nawaz, 74, the supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party to abandon his claim to the prime minister's position to his younger brother Shehbaz, 72.
Sharif is back in Parliament after seven long years. His terms as the prime minister include the first from 1990-1993, then 1997-1999, and the last from 2013-2017, none of them for a complete five years.
Amid sloganeering, Nawaz Sharif took oath along with his brother Shehbaz.
Historic visuals from the 16th National Assembly oath-taking ceremony! the PML-N X handle posted along with a hashtag #MeraQuaidPhirSeAya and a 1:18 minute video.
The video showed the smiling elder Sharif entering the Parliament, then walking towards the many members of his party and shaking hands, with all the while a party song that said Sher Aaya' (Lion Nawaz Sharif has come) playing in the background.
As per the Constitution, a party must win 133 out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly to form a government.
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