Pakistan lawmakers start vote for new PM after Khan ousted

Shehbaz Sharif was set Monday to become Pakistan's new prime minister, but ousted premier Imran Khan and most of his party's lawmakers resigned their seats in the national assembly immediately before voting started.

Khan was dismissed Sunday after losing a no-confidence vote, paving the way for an opposition alliance that faces the same issues which bedevilled the cricket star-turned-politician.

Sharif, leader of the centrist Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) is certain to be chosen after Khan loyalist Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister, withdrew his candidacy and resigned his seat.

"I announced a boycott of the election," Qureshi said.