MQM not to back PTI plan of removing opp leader

The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), a major opposition party in National Assembly, has decided to distance itself from a potential PTI move to remove leader of opposition in the Lower House of parliament, it has been learnt.

An alliance of opposition parties has been trying to remove PPP’s Leader of Opposition Khurshid Shah, however, the MQM, which is second-largest opposition party, has decided not be part of any such move, sources said.

Imran Khan’s PTI initiated the move of dislodging Shah as the opposition leader in protest for not being consulted on the appointment of the new chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Apart from this, the PTI also considers Shah as a friendly opposition leader.

Sources in the PTI said after the refusal of MQM, there were fewer chances of the party going ahead with the move, however, the PTI leadership would continue its effort to win MQM’s support in this regard.

PTI, the major opposition party in the National Assembly with 35 seats, is trying to field Pakistan Awami League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed as the new opposition leader. However, the PTI cannot go ahead without the support of MQM, which has 24 NA seats.

Shah is enjoying the support of 45 PPP members. A joint candidate of the PTI and MQM could easily snatch the slot of opposition leader from the PPP.

In addition to this, the PTI could easily win support of four members of the JI. The PTI’s nominee could also get three votes, two from the PML-Q and one from the Qaumi Watan Party.

However, without the MQM, the plan would be falling flat on its face.

Talking to Pakistan Today, MQM’s Engineer Nasir Jamal indicated that the MQM had decided that it would not be part of any move of removing Shah.

A few days ago, MQM leader Babar Ghauri said Sheikh Rashid had contacted the MQM to win support, however, Jamal said there had been no such move.

On the other hand, a source in the MQM said with the support of the PTI, it was very easy for the MQM to remove Shah, however, the MQM did not want to put its weight behind the PTI for Sheikh Rashid.

He said that both parties were rivals in Karachi’s politics. Currently, the MQM is considering PTI as its main rival in Karachi, as the PTI managed to win a number of seats and has been enjoying support of over 700,000 voters.

Sources said the MQM also did not want to offend the ruling PML-N, which had decided to resist any move to remove Shah.