NA Speaker election: PTI urges Khursheed Shah to withdraw in favor of Asad Qaiser

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has requested its rival Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to withdraw Syed Khursheed Shah in favor of Asad Qaiser who has been named the party’s candidate for the election of National Assembly Speaker.

Opposition parties including PPP, PML-N, MMA and ANP, have voiced their support for Khursheed Shah who is likely to challenge Asad Qaiser in the election.

“Our meetings were aimed at developing contacts with opposition parties before the inaugural session. We have also delivered invitation for Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto for Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony,” he told media persons after meeting a PPP delegation on Sunday.

“We have requested the PPP to help strengthen the Parliament. We also held positive discussion with Ayaz Sadiq. We are hopeful that we will find a way forward to improve mutual cooperation,” he said.

Chaudhry said all political parties have been invited to the oath-taking ceremony. “We hope that our invitations will be accepted.”

Pakistan, he said, has been facing numerous challenges at this stage. “The world is seeing Imran Khan as a global leader. The Saudi King today phoned Imran Khan,” he claimed.

He also promised that opposition’s proposals would be given due consideration. “We are ready to move ahead with whatever suggestions are given by the opposition parties regarding elections,” he said.

"Both the government and opposition are two wheels of democracy. We need to join hands to address the challenges being faced by the country," he maintained .

The PTI delegation later went to meet BNP leaders to seek their support for the election.