Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken office after winning a second term in a parliamentary vote.

Sharif has made a swift comeback since stepping down last August. His new coalition government faces the challenge of rebuilding the country's economy while dealing with an opposition camp that claims there was vote-rigging in February's general election.

Sharif was sworn in on Monday, a day after the National Assembly elected him.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party fell short of a majority in the general election. It has formed a coalition with the Pakistan People's Party.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, and its affiliates reportedly won most seats in the election. But its leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was barred from running as he was convicted of corruption and other charges.

PTI candidates were forced to stand as independents. The party has protested the results given by the Election Commission, saying the announced counts are fewer than the candidates actually got.

PTI lawmaker Zartaj Gul said: "Shehbaz Sharif cannot deliver to this country because he is not elected by the people of Pakistan. He has stolen the credit of PTI people. He has stolen the vote of Pakistani people."

Pakistan is mired in economic turmoil as a result of soaring prices and rising unemployment after devastating floods in 2022 that inundated a third of the country.

A top priority for Sharif is likely to be fixing the economy. His administration will have to negotiate an extension of the bailout program provided by the International Monetary Fund. The current package expires in April.