ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Friday defeated Shahbaz Sharif in a one-sided contest to become Pakistan's next prime minister after the grand opposition alliance fell apart over the PML-N chief's nomination for the top post.
The election in the 15th National Assembly became just a formality after the Pakistan Peoples Party, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari with 54 seats abstained from voting.
Khan, 65, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), secured 176 votes while his only rival and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Sharif got 96 votes.
Khan will take the oath on Saturday.
A total of 172 votes in the 342-member lower house of Parliament are needed to form a government.
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