PPP names Sherry Rehman as Senate opposition leader

ISLAMABAD: After election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, the opposition parties – mainly Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) – have set their sight on the position of the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House of the Parliament. 

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday gave the go-ahead to nomination of Senator Sherry Rehman for the slot.

If elected, she would become the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

A delegation comprising Rehman, the newly elected deputy chairman Saleem Mandviwala, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and others, met senators from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to garner support for the nominee.

PTI, however, has decided not to support Rehman and field Senate Azam Swati for the slot.

Before her election as a member of the Senate, Sherry Rehman remained on important posts in the previous PPP government. She has also served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States.

On March 12, Balochistan Senator Sadiq Sanjrani was elected as Senate chairman after he secured 57 votes out of the total 103 cast for the slot, defeating the PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq. Whereas, PPP’s Saleem Mandivwala was elected as Senate Deputy Chairman.