Speaker Balochistan Assembly Mohammad Aslam Bhootani has declared Tariq Magsi of PML-Q as opposition leader in the House, much to the shock of his arch political rival chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and his coalition partners.
Tariq Magsi, the younger brother of Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi got elected to the house in by-elections in constituency PB-32 Jhal Magsi, when his elder brother Magsi vacated the seat after being appointed governor. He had remained on treasury benches for the past four and a half years, but requested the speaker to declare him the opposition leader of the House. The lone opposition member Sadar Yar Mohammad Rind, also a PML-Q member who could not join the government for being a tribal opponent of Raisani, had been requesting the speaker to declare him as the opposition leader, but his plea had been rejected on several occasions. When contacted Tariq Magsi confirmed that he had received a notification regarding his appointment as leader of opposition in the provincial assembly. Assembly secretariat also confirmed that Balochistan Assembly Speaker Bhootani notified Tariq Magsi as leader of the opposition in the legislature with effect from December 18.
