MWM chief Raja Nasir Abbas appointed Senate opposition leader

Abbas secures 22 votes from opposition members, Senate Secretariat instructed to issue official notification

ISLAMABAD:

Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas has officially been appointed as the leader of the opposition in the Senate, filling a position that has been vacant for the past five months.

The announcement came during a Senate session chaired by Yousuf Raza Gilani, where Abbas secured 22 votes from opposition members, according to the chairman. The Senate Secretariat has been instructed to issue the official notification immediately.

Chairman Gilani formally declared Raja Nasir Abbas as the Senate opposition leader. During the proceedings, PML-N Senator Nasir Butt questioned the Senate chairman about Abbas’s party affiliation, noting that he is not a member of PTI, and asked whether the party had no eligible candidate for the post.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarrar and PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah welcomed the new opposition leader in the House. Senators also congratulated Raja Nasir Abbas at his seat.

On Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar confirmed that Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has decided on Allama Raja Nasir Abbas's appointment as the opposition leader in Parliament's upper house, and the process for it had begun.

Read: PTI's Ali Zafar says Senate chairman has decided on Raja Nasir Abbas as opposition leader

Zafar said the Senate chairman was reminded during a meeting that he had previously stated he was consulting with the National Assembly speaker regarding the issuance of a notification for the opposition leader in the upper house.

Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court yesterday, Barrister Gohar mentioned that the PTI founder had nominated Achakzai and Allama Abbas for the position of opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, and it would be ideal if both nominations were approved.

Since NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had decided and appointed Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the NA opposition leader, Zafar said Gilani was also requested to announce PTI's nominee for the Senate opposition leader.

Last week, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah had said that he expected progress on the Senate opposition leader's appointment by this week, following Achakzai's appointment as the opposition leader in the National Assembly.

In October last year, the PTI had nominated Achakzai and Allama Abbas as its candidates for the positions of the NA and Senate opposition leaders, respectively.

Following months of delay, Achakzai was appointed to the position last week after Sadiq issued his notification.