MQM Parliamentary Party head has been nominated as the leader of the opposition. PHOTO: IRFAN ALI/ EXPRESS
The Sindh Assembly speaker issued on Tuesday a notification appointing Syed Sardar Ahmed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement as the Leader of Opposition, a move that has raised serious concern amongst other opposition parties.
The development comes after Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan accepted the resignations of MQM’s ministers. The MQM recently broke of its nearly five-year alliance with the government, and chose to sit on the opposition benches.
Soon after the resignations were accepted, the MQM members led by Faisal Subzwari, Dr Sagheer Ahmed and other MPAs reached the speaker’s office and submitted an application nominating Ahmed, a bureaucrat turned politician, as opposition leader.
Addressing the media, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that the MQM had more votes than other opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F), Pakistan Muslim League-Qauid (PML-Q) and the National Peoples Party (NPP), and therefore, the MQM would nominate the leader of opposition.
“I was also waiting for the governor’s decision. MQM deserves to have the opposition leader because of its 50-member strength in the house,” he said.
He further said that PML-F had nominated Nusrat Seher Abbasi as opposition leader with the support of only 10 members and the PML-Q (likeminded) had proposed the name of Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, but both the names were not eligible for the slot.
After the 18th Amendment, the role of opposition leader has gained considerable significance. The amendment bounds the chief minister to consult with the opposition leader to appoint caretaker chief ministers in the province.
Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-F leader Imtiaz Shaikh said the MQM enjoyed power for about four years and nine months. “MQM decided to sit on opposition benches on the advice of PPP government so that they can setup their caretaker government. It is their joint strategy to rig the elections.”
“We are the only real opposition,” he said, adding that a few days ago the Sindh High Court had given a decision in their favour and directed the speaker to appoint an opposition leader in 10 days. “We have filed a contempt of court petition today (Tuesday),” he said, adding that they have high hopes from the SHC; otherwise his party would approach the Supreme Court.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 6th, 2013.
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