KARACHI - After parting ways with the PPP government, MQM on Monday submitted the application for allotment of opposition seats for their lawmakers in the Sindh Assembly, diminishing the chances of MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of PML-F to become opposition leader who was supported by other opposition parties.
Moreover, MQM and PML-F have agreed to appoint Faisal Sabzwari as opposition leader in Sindh Assembly. A consensus has been reached between both the parties in this regard.
Led by parliamentary leader Sardar Ahmed and Dr Sagheer Ahmed, the MQM’s lawmakers while chanting slogans reached the office of the Speaker and submitted the application to the Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for allotment of separate seats on opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly.
MQM lawmakers urged Khuhro to allot them opposition seats in a sequence they must be close to the seat of opposition leader.
Speaker inquired from the MQM lawmakers about the status of ministers’ resignation submitted to Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad. MQM’s coordination committee member and former health minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed told the Speaker that media has reported that the governor has accepted the resignations of the MQM’s ministers, so it is requested to take decision to allot separate seats urgently.
Khuhro assured the MQM lawmakers that decision on their application would be taken according to law and rules of the procedures of Sindh Assembly.
Later, the delegation of Pakistan Muslim League MPAs led by its parliamentary leader Jam Madad Ali met with the Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in the committee room of the Assembly and urged him to implement the verdict of Sindh High Court to notify the PML-F’s MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi as opposition leader in Sindh Assembly.
Though the MQM lawmakers submitted their application in presence of the media but they were kept out of the meeting of Speaker Khuhro and PML-F’s MPAs, which continued for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, after meeting with the PML-F’s lawmakers, Khuhro categorically said that just 10 members had signed the application in support of Nusrat Abbasi of PML-F as opposition leader so she can’t be notified for the slot.
The Speaker said that he had received the application from the MQM for opposition seats in the Sindh Assembly, so the decision on the slot of opposition leader would be taken in favour of the nominee of the majority votes.
He said that if 51 members of the MQM submitted their joint application for opposition leader, the decision would be made in their favour. He further said that he would take decision on the MQM’s application within two days.
Meanwhile, MQM leaders Sardar Ahmed and Dr Sagheer said that the party would play effective role as opposition in the Sindh as well as National Assembly. On the other hand, the MQM leader Khawaja Izharul Haq told the media persons that the resignations submitted on Sunday have been accepted by the governor on Monday.
He further said that after quitting the government, MQM ministers and advisors had vacated their offices and returned the official vehicles to the government.
Meanwhile, PML-F’s parliamentary in Sindh Assembly leader Jam Madad Ali after meeting with the Speaker expressed reservation over the Speaker’s decision of not issuing notification to appoint MPA Mrs.
Nusrat Sehar Abbasi as opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly. He said that the Sindh High Court had directed the Speaker to notify the opposition leader within ten days as today was last day to implement the order of the apex court.
Jam Madad appealed to MQM chief Altaf Hussain to support the PML-F’s nominee Nusrat Sehar Abbasi as opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, saying that this step will flourish the democracy besides it will prove MQM as genuine opposition in the province.
The PML-F leader also appealed to the former coalition partners - PPP and MQM to revoke the controversial Sindh Peoples Local Government Act 2012, which according to him has divided the province in two administrative systems of local governments.
The PML-F leader predicted that decision on the caretaker chief minister would not come with consensus; ultimately the Election Commission would take decision in this regard.