MQM-P to support PTI candidate for Senate opposition leader

KARACHI: As the top seats in the Senate have been filled, the race is now for the Leader of the Opposition as both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seek to gain the position.

PPP have nominated Senator Sherry Rehman, and if elected she will become the first women in the position in the Upper House of parliament. The PTI have yet to nominate a candidate.

The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM-P) have announced to support the PTI candidate. The decision was taken during a visit on Thursday by PTI leader Imran Ismail to the MQM’s Bahadurabad office.

MQM-P leader Faisal Sabzwari, while addressing media, said the party would not support Ms. Rehman as it does not want to vote for a PPP candidate.

Sabzwari used the opportunity to strongly criticise the PPP for neglecting Karachi since the last ten years, and now attempting to bring a inept government. He said the PPP has ruined Sindh, and therefore they had instead decided to support the PTI candidate.

Imran Ismail said the MQM was requested to support them to stop the PPP from bringing its own candidate. He said the next opposition leader would belong to the PTI, and they were consulting other parties as well, while the candidate would be announced soon.

Meanwhile, PTI chairman Imran Khan has called a meeting of party’s core group at his residence in Bani Gali to finalise the name of candidate for the opposition leader.