MQM needs 12 more members to claim SA opposition leader slot

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has required 12 more members to get the opposition leader’s office in Sindh Assembly, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Speaker Sindh Assembly has decided to keep the MQM application for the opposition leader’s slot in abeyance.

“The MQM has support of only 20 opposition members,” Sindh Assembly officials said. “The party needs 12 more members support before submitting request to claim the position,” officials further said.

The MQM has nominated Rana Ansar for the opposition leader’s office in the Sindh Assembly amid deadlock with the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

MQM could not grab the top slot of opposition in the provincial legislature without support from the GDA.

Rana Ansar would require specific number of votes to replace incumbent opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh of the PTI.

Earlier, talking to journalists after filing MQM’s bid for the opposition office, Farooq Sattar said that the current opposition leader was not present in the Sindh Assembly to represent the opposition. Neither the opposition leader nor other lawmakers of his political party are attending sessions at the provincial assembly, he said.