Dar set to become Senate opposition leader
ISLAMABAD: PML-N`s Ishaq Dar is set to become new opposition leader in the Senate after a group of 25 opposition senators submitted a request to Senate Chairman Farooq H. Naek on Saturday for his appointment.
According to an official announcement by the PML-N, the opposition senators nominating Mr Dar as the opposition leader belonged to the two splinter groups of the PML-Q, PPP-Sherpao, Jamaat-i-Islami, Balochistan National Party and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.
This means that except for the JUI-F, which is the largest parliamentary group with 10 senators on the opposition benches, all other opposition parties have agreed on the nomination of Mr Dar for the office vacated by PML-Q`s Wasim Sajjad after his party joined the ruling coalition earlier this month.
The announcement for Mr Dar`s support was made by Salim Saifullah before media personnel after a meeting with PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar and Pervez Rashid at his residence on Saturday.
Senator Haroon Akhtar Khan, Senator Ghaffar Quraishi, Senator Gulshan Saeed and Senator Fauzia Fakhrul Zaman were present on the occasion.
The announcement came after two days of meetings by Salim Saifullah Khan with the PML-N and JUI-F leaders at his residence. In return, Mr Khan has demanded the position of the deputy opposition leader.
Political and constitutional experts believe that if the Senate chairman appoints Mr Dar as opposition leader on the basis of the application carrying the signatures of the members of the PML-Q dissidents, it could lead to a new controversy.
According to one of the provisions of the constitution regarding defections, legislators are bound to comply with the decision of their party.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/15/2011
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