KARACHI  -   Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan’s Rana Ansar on Wednesday created history to become the first female opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly as Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani congratulated her “in advance” and asked her to sit on leader of opposition’s chair.

During the proceedings of the house on Wednesday, the Speaker informed the members that an application had been submitted by majority of opposition lawmakers for Rana Ansar’s appointment as the opposition leader.

“I have instructed the Secretary to process the application according to the rules and regulations. however, I congratulate Rana Ansar in advance as she will be the first woman leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly,” Speaker Durrani remarked.

The chair also asked Rana Ansar, who was the MQM-P’s parliamentary leader, to sit on the opposition leader’s chair on which she took her new seat. Earlier, the MQM-P’s aspirant along with other party MPAs submitted an application to the Assembly secretariat. The application was also signed by Grand Democratic Alliance’s lawmakers, meaning that Rana Ansar got required number of opposition members support.

Later in the day, the Assembly secretariat also issued two notifications for removing Haleem Adil Sheikh as leader of opposition and appointing Rana Ansar for the slot. Rana Ansar had replaced Haleem Adil Sheikh belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who along with other party members had screened himself and not been attending the Sindh Assembly sessions since 9th May’s violent protests aftermath of Imran Khan’s arrest. Separately while talking to the media after the session, Rana Ansar thanked her party leadership as well as the GDA for nominating her for the slot. She said that now, the things will move forward for formation of a caretaker government. “A name for caretaker chief minister would be decided by holding talks (with the incumbent chief minister).