Leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi stepped down as the president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi chapter on Saturday. The PTI MPA said he wants to focus all his attention on resolution of issues facing the province in his capacity as the opposition leader in the provincial legislature. He said he has sent his resignation to PTI chairman Imran Khan. The PTI, which emerged as the second largest party in the house after the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, had named Naqvi as the opposition leader. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance, the PTI government’s allies at the centre, also backed his nomination as the opposition leader. After the election, Naqvi had stirred a controversy when he came down hard on the MQM, saying: “The alliance with MQM is not our choice, but we have made the alliance because of the compulsion to acquire simple majority in National Assembly.” He said that the PTI’s stance on the MQM has not changed. MQM ruined Karachi and it faced defeat in the July 25 elections owing to the poor performance of its mayor in Karachi, he maintained. In response to his statement, a MQM leader said PTI chairman Imran Khan couldn’t have become prime minister without MQM support. Published in Daily Times, September 23rd 2018.