PTI serves notices on dissident MPAs for 'helping in ousting party's opposition leader'

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday sought an explanation from eight of its dissident lawmakers for endorsing Mutahida Quami Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) Rana Ansar nomination as Sindh Assmebly's opposition leader. 

In a statement issued on Twitter, the opposition party said that it has issued show-cause notices to MPAs Syed Imran Ali Shah, Sanjay Gangwani, Sachanand Lakhwani Sachal and Rabia Azfar Nizami for voting for Sindh opposition leader.

"Umar Omari, Muhammad Ali Aziz, Karim Bux Gabol, and Bilal Ahmed were also issued show-cause notices for voting for the opposition leader against the party policy," the statement added.

The PTI has asked all members to submit an explanation within three days of the notice being issued for helping in removing the party's Haleem Adil Sheikh as opposition leader.

"In case of unsatisfactory or no response, the decision of further action will be taken against all members as per party policy," it added.

The party said that a formal notification has been issued with the signature of PTI's Secretary General Umar Ayub.

On July 26, MQM-P's Ansar became the first woman opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly.

A notification issued by the assembly’s secretariat, de-notified Sheikh as the opposition leader after he lost the backing of lawmakers.

This is the third time that the opposition leader has been changed in the provincial assembly during the current tenure.

The application had the backing of 38 opposition lawmakers, comprising 21 MQM-P lawmakers, and 14 Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MPAs. While nine disgruntled lawmakers of the PTI also supported Ansar’s elevation to the opposition leader’s office.