In Islamabad, the National Assembly of Pakistan witnessed the swearing-in of recently elected members amidst turmoil. Allies of the incarcerated former Premier, Imran Khan, vehemently protested what they allege to be a manipulated election.

Members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party vociferously chanted “Vote-thief!” as Shehbaz Sharif, the anticipated leader of the government, made his entrance into the lower house of parliament alongside his brother, Nawaz Sharif, both being former premiers.

The outgoing National Assembly Speaker, Raja Pervez Ashraf, conducted the oath ceremony for incoming legislators at noon. The chamber resonated with chants of “Long Live Sharif!” when the Sharif brothers affixed their signatures to the register after completing their oaths. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the youthful chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party and a crucial Sharif ally, encountered similar enthusiastic cheers.

The upcoming government is poised to confront challenges, including a surge in militant attacks, energy shortages, and an ailing economy necessitating Pakistan to seek another bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

PTI lawmakers, supporters of Khan, asserted to the media that their campaign against election rigging would persist both within and outside the parliament.

Gohar Ali Khan, the current head of PTI, affirmed, “Yes, the election has been rigged.” PTI has called for nationwide rallies on Saturday, alleging that the results were tampered with in numerous constituencies to hinder them from securing a majority. This claim is disputed by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Post the Feb. 8 elections, Commonwealth observers commended election officials for conducting the vote amid multiple militant attacks. However, the U.S. State Department contended that the vote occurred under constraints on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

The European Union criticized the inability of some political actors to contest the elections. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry countered such criticisms, asserting that the vote was conducted freely, fairly, and transparently. Foreign observers did not report widespread vote-stealing.

Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party of former President Asif Ali Zardari emerged as the dominant presence in the 336-seat National Assembly.

Following a power-sharing agreement, Sharif’s party will back Zardari in the upcoming presidential elections. The outgoing President, Arif Alvi, an ally of Khan, was a senior member of PTI before assuming the presidency.

Khan, currently serving prison terms in multiple cases and barred from seeking or holding office, faces numerous legal challenges, with convictions ranging from corruption to inciting violence and terrorism.

In a recent move, PTI wrote to the International Monetary Fund, urging a connection between talks with Islamabad and an audit of the allegedly rigged recent election. This development unfolded just before the IMF’s crucial installment release of a bailout loan to Pakistan.

Criticism from rivals, including Sharif, followed Khan’s maneuver, suggesting he aimed to harm the country’s economy. Sharif, who succeeded Khan after a no-confidence vote in April 2022, had worked diligently to avert a default on foreign payments last summer when the IMF approved the much-awaited $3 billion.

Sharif now expresses the intention to secure a new bailout from the IMF post-March, as last year’s IMF bailout expires.