Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi president Firdous Shamim Naqvi might not be named as the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly after his recent remarks against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), the PTI’s coalition partner in Centre.

On Sunday, Shamim Naqvi drew ire of PTI’s leadership after he said, “We have entered into an alliance with the MQM-P out of compulsion.” To further aggravate the situation, Shamim Naqvi said that poor performance of Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar was responsible for MQM-P defeat in general elections. Reliable sources told the Daily Times that instead of Shamim Naqvi PTI was considering appointing Khurrum Sher Zaman the opposition leader to give tough time to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which is likely to form provincial government in Sindh after having won 76 provincial assembly seats. MQM-P had won 16 seats, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) 10 whereas PTI stood victorious on 23 seats. Sources added that Sher Zaman’s experience in politics had made him a strong candidate to be named as opposition leader with the support of around 49 members, including those of MQM-P, GDA and the PTI.

“Shamim Naqvi despite becoming the “talk of the town” in the recent past lacks parliamentary tactics cope with the situation,” added sources.

Moreover, political pundits said that Sher Zaman would be a suitable opposition leader to make voice of grand opposition heard in the provincial legislature.

Moreover, a spokesperson for the MQM-P told Daily Times that “our party had no objection to selection of the opposition leader, but PTI should consider the most suitable candidate”.

A senior leader of MQM-P said that the party had reservations, and that they did not want to see Naqvi as the opposition leader.

Published in Daily Times, August 8^th 2018.