Sindh Assembly’s opposition leader slot has been vacant since July 2011. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
The position became vacant when Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s (PML-F) Jam Madad Ali was appointed a provincial minister as his party joined the coalition government in July 2011. In September last year, the Pir Pagara-led party parted ways with the ruling party but the seat remains vacant to date.
A month ago, some members even filed an application nominating Nusrat Saher Abbasi as the opposition leader but it was never replied. Now a petition has been filed by 10 provincial legislators belonging to the PML-F, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the National Peoples Party.
The federal and provincial secretaries of law, justice and parliamentary affairs department, the Sindh chief secretary and the speaker and deputy speaker of the Sindh assembly have been cited as respondents.
The petitioners’ lawyer argued that without any opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, it appears no caretaker cabinet will be sworn in. “Fair and free elections cannot be held without the appointment of the caretaker cabinet,” he contended. After preliminary hearing, Justice Maqbool Baqir directed the respondents to submit their comments by February 1.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2013.
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