Opposition members slam govt for failing to appoint opposition leader

Shaharyar Mahar was nominated for the post nearly a month ago.

KARACHI:

The opposition members in the Sindh Assembly have announced a protest in the upcoming session for not having an officially appointed opposition leader.

The members said that assembly proceedings without an opposition leader are against the rules and added that the speaker has to make the decision within a week as the seat of the opposition leader cannot be left empty for an indefinite period of time.

"The self-proclaimed champions of democracy are afraid of the opposition, that is why they are delaying the appointment," Pakistan Muslim League-Functional MPA Shaharyar Mahar, the nominee for the opposition leader slot, said while addressing a press conference along with members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday.

Soon after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement joined the provincial government a month ago, the 23 MPAs of the opposition parties submitted an application nominating Mahar for the slot. During the press conference, members of other opposition parties, including PTI's Syed Hafeezuddin and Shafi Jamote and Sorath Thebo of the PML-N flanked Mahar. They ruled out the reports that the opposition parties have developed any differences over Mahar's nomination.

"The budget session is approaching fast," said Mahar. "Since the government cannot face the criticism that will inevitably come its way, it is delaying the appointment," said Mahar, adding that the government is deliberately violating the Constitution.

"We will not come out on the roads against it. Neither will we go to court to challenge it. We will protest during the session and will not take part in the proceedings until this matter is resolved," he said, adding that since the government is violating the rules by not filling the vacant seat, the summoned session will lose its legal status. Mahar also diverted the attention of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership towards the issue and said that democracy can only flourish with healthy criticism by opposition parties.

Favouritism?

He also lashed out at the government for not releasing the development funds to opposition members. "Each PPP MPA has been given Rs400 million for development schemes under the Tameer-e-Pakistan Programme," he claimed. "Work has started in their constituencies but the government is not releasing the funds to opposition parties."

Providing support

Jamote negated the claims that the PML-N had moved a separate application for the opposition leader and added that all MPAs of his party have endorsed Mahar for this position. PTI's Hafizuddin called it an 'undemocratic' approach and said that they would continue supporting the PML-F candidate for the slot.

The official stance

However, the Sindh Assembly secretary GM Umar Farooq told The Express Tribune that the matter is being reviewed by the speaker and a notification for the appointment of opposition leaders will be issued soon. "There are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled first, including the verification of signatures of the MPAs on the application. After that the notification will be issued," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2014.