Nomination of opposition leader: Debate follows slanging match in Senate

Fierce words ensue between ANP and JUI-F lawmakers over nomination of leader of opposition.

ISLAMABAD:

A fierce war of words ensued between Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl lawmakers in which lawmakers of both parties painted each other black.

Later, the Senate witnessed on Thursday an intense constitutional debate on the controversial nomination of the leader of the opposition.

When the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz insisted for initiating a debate on the issue, Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek said: “I will decide in the interest of justice…and fair play to solicit the opinion of legal experts.”

The PML-N asked Naik to suspend his ruling and give a time-frame for a judgment on the nomination after conducting a hearing.  Lawmakers then indulged in an interesting debate over the “arbitrary selection” of the leader of the opposition in Senate.





Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2011.