Pakistani lawmakers elected a ruling party loyalist with a checkered past as prime minister on Friday, restoring government to the country after days of political turmoil.

But the election of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was unlikely to calm the tensions roiling the country, and many predicted he would face the same fate as his predecessor who was ousted earlier this week.

The drama highlighted the turbulent nature of politics in this nuclear-armed country that is vital to U.S. hopes for ending the war in Afghanistan. The Americans need Pakistan's help in talks with the Taliban and are trying to persuade Islamabad to reopen war supply lines to Afghanistan.

Ashraf was the second choice to replace Yousuf Raza Gilani who was dismissed by the Supreme Court earlier this week for refusing to initiate a corruption investigation against his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari.

The ruling Pakistan People's Party then nominated outgoing textile minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, but he was hit Thursday by an arrest warrant for his role in a drug import scandal.