Pakistani lawmakers elect Imran Khan as new prime minister

Lawmakers in Pakistan's lower house of parliament elected former cricket legend Imran Khan as the country's new prime minister on Friday, paving the way for him to form a coalition government.

Khan received 176 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly, said Asad Qaiser, the speaker of the parliament. A rival candidate, Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), garnered 96 votes.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party swept to power in the July 25 election but will need support from independents and smaller parties because it does not have enough seats in parliament to form a majority government.

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