congratulations! Shehbaz Sharif is greeted by PM Modi upon becoming Pakistan's second prime minister.

 After taking the oath of office as Pakistan's new prime minister for the second time on Tuesday, some four weeks after an unpredictable national election created delays in the formation of a coalition government, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif.

Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister at the presidential office in Islamabad on Monday, the official start of his term. This came the day after he was elected prime minister by parliament, over the objections of those who supported imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, the recently elected prime minister convened his finance team for the first time and gave them instructions to start negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on an extended financial facility. According to Reuters, the existing arrangement expires in April.

 The 72-year-old thanked his elder brother and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif and allies profusely in his victory speech in the National Assembly shortly after he was elected as the 24th prime minister and for the second time since 2022 for their trust and for enabling him to lead a coalition government after last month's election resulted in a hung Parliament.

According to Sharif, his administration would not permit the nation to participate in any "big game" and would uphold friendly ties with neighbors founded on equality.

Shehbaz declared, "We will maintain our ties with neighbors based on equality." But Shehbaz brought up the Kashmir dispute and linked it to Palestine. 

The election on February 8 was tainted by a ban on mobile internet, arrests, and violence during the lead-up. The results were abnormally delayed, which led to claims that the vote was manipulated.

Although Khan's supporters won the most seats, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) decided to create a coalition government. Nawaz Sharif, the brother of Shehbaz Sharif and three-time prime minister, leads the PML-N, but he declined to become prime minister.