ISLAMABAD: Justice (retired) Nasirul Mulk on Friday took oath as caretaker prime minister. He was administered oath of office by President Mamnoon Hussain at a ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The ceremony was attended, among others, by outgoing Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, members of the former cabinet, governors of four provinces, foreign diplomats and services chiefs.
Following the ceremony, PM Nasirul Mulk received a guard of honour and formally started his responsibilities.
The caretaker premier, while speaking to journalists after taking oath, said the cabinet members will be announced after consultation. He added the cabinet would be concise as a few members would be appointed.
When asked about elections, PM Mulk said they will make sure elections are held on time and in a transparent manner, and will act within their mandate and the responsibility they have been given.
He further said they would support the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct free and fair elections as scheduled.
Nasirul Mulk is the seventh caretaker prime minister of the country. He was unanimously nominated as caretaker prime minister by the government and opposition.
The oath-taking ceremony was held after the National Assembly managed to complete its five-year constitutional term. Unlike in 2013, the government and opposition this time picked up a consensus candidate for the office of caretaker prime minister.
Justice Nasirul Mulk took oath as Chief Justice of Pakistan in July 2014 and served in the capacity for about a year. His nomination for the position was hailed almost by all major political parties.
Earlier, Nasir rendered nine years of laudable service as Justice of the apex court. During his tenure as judge of the Supreme Court, he was nominated as acting Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan.
His advent into the judiciary began with a series of legal appointments that eventually led to his nomination as a judge. In 1991, he was elected as the secretary general of Peshawar High Court Bar Association and then elected twice as the President of High Court Bar Association in 1990 and 1993.
He was appointed as the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 1993 and as Judge of Peshawar High Court in 1994. In July 2004, Justice Nasirul Mulk was elevated as Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court.
Justice Nasirul Mulk was born on 17th August 1950 in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He began his career in the legal field by completing his education in attaining a degree in law. He graduated from Khyber Law College at the University of Peshawar and qualified as a barrister in law in 1996 from London.
 Nasirul Mulk will be held at presidency in Islamabad on Friday.){kind=link}