Shahid Khaqan Abbasi presented guard of honour

Former premier leaves PM House as the incumbent government completes its five-year constitutional term

After the incumbent government's tenure ended late Thursday night, outgoing prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was presented a guard of honour at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad on Friday.

The country celebrated another democratic transition as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) became the second civilian dispensation government to complete a term in office. The previous government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), holds the distinction of being the first in the country’s history to complete its five-year constitutional term.

Abbasi had assumed charge as the 28th prime minister of Pakistan on August 1, 2017 after the National Assembly elected him as Leader of the House with a thumping majority.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Ababsi presented guard of honour. SCREENGRAB

Abbasi was selected by PML-N following the ousting of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a lifetime disqualification verdict by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for holding an Iqama.

Initially, the party had agreed upon the former petroleum minister as an interim prime minister until a permanent replacement could be elected. A member of the PML-N, Abbasi remained parliamentarian from 2008 to 2018. He was also an MNA from 1988 to 1999.