Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as country's prime minister

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Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the country's prime minister on Monday, officially taking over from ousted prime minister Imran Khan.

The oath was administered by the chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani , in the absence of President Arif Alvi, a member of Khan's party, who said he was unwell.

Earlier in the day, Sharif won the support of 174 legislators out of the 342-member house in a parliamentary vote to elect a replacement for Khan.

More than 100 lawmakers loyal to Khan resigned on Monday, creating a headache for the new, Western-friendly incumbent Sharif as he tries to drag his country out of a political and economic crisis.

Parliament's election of Sharif, 70, as prime minister, followed a week-long constitutional crisis that reached a climax on Sunday when Khan, 69, lost a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Sharif, the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan, will now form a new government that can remain in place until August 2023, when general elections are due.