PTI ‘designates’ Qureshi as opposition leader in NA

ISLAMABAD: The PTI which enjoys the support of four members of the National Assembly, including two from the PML-Q, has designated Shah Mahmood Qureshi as the opposition leader despite the fact that he is not a member of the National Assembly.

The communication from the PTI on this count to Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has been referred to by the latter to the National Assembly’s legal team which has examined it and will share its recommendations with the speaker later this week.

Well-placed sources told The News on Tuesday that the team has reached the conclusion in its preliminary examination that the speaker should opt to ignore the communication since it’s a mere joke.

The letter has been written by a former member of the National Assembly who claims to be the chief whip of the PTI in the National Assembly.

Ironically, he too isn’t a member of the National Assembly. Both had resigned from the house membership in April last year and their resignations have been accepted.

Consequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has already announced the schedule for the election on their seats along with other members who had also tendered their resignations.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued an injunction against the by-polls on such seats but they are no more members of the National Assembly.

The PTI in its letter has urged the speaker to designate Shah Mahmood Qureshi as the leader of the opposition. Interestingly, Raja Riaz Ahmad, who enjoys the support of 23 members of the opposition MNAs, also happens to be a PTI dissident.

The PTI has asked Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to appoint its nominee (Shah Mahmood Qureshi) as the Leader of the Opposition so that he should be consulted by the Prime Minister/Leader of the House Shehbaz Sharif for the selection of a new chairman NAB as per the requirement of the Constitution.

The sources pointed out that it was almost certain that no change would be possible in the leader of the opposition till the general elections.

Former NAB chairman Aftab Sultan, who resigned last month, was appointed through consultations between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Raja Riaz Ahmad. The PTI has been generously praising his honesty and uprightness after his stepping down.