Empty seat: Shaharyar Mahar nominated as leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly

PML-N parliamentary leader Irfanullah Marwat expresses concern over the appointment, demands position be given to him.

KARACHI: After the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) decided to sit on the treasury benches, opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly have nominated Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) MPA Shaharyar Mahar as the new opposition leader.

According to Mahar, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have extended their support towards his nomination as the leader of the opposition in the assembly and that he would submit an application in the Speaker’s office on Wednesday.

“PTI and PML-N parliamentary leaders have extended their support. I will be a joint opposition candidate,” he told The Express Tribune.

With the MQM switching sides, the opposition bench is left with only 25 members. 11 members belong to the PML-F, 10 members to PML-N, while PTI has four members in the Sindh assembly.

Earlier, PML-N parliamentary leader Irfanullah Marwat had expressed his concern over the nomination of PML-F member for the position and contended that the position should be given to him.

However, after PTI extended their support to Mahar, Marwat withdrew his demand.

Marwat commented at the time that deliberations over the opposition leader position were underway and that a candidate for the opposition leader would be appointed on merit.

PTI leader Syed Hafeezuddin was of the view that it was unlikely they would back a PML-N candidate, hence they were supporting the PML-F MPA for the position. “We have supported Mahar unconditionally and want to play the role of strong opposition in the house,” he said.

This is Shaharyar Mahar’s second tenure in the assembly. He belongs to the family of former federal minister Ghous Bux Mahar from Shikarpur.