- PTI Senator Azam Swati says list submitted by Sherry to chairman violates rules
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday challenged the nomination of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Sherry Rehman for the post of opposition leader as it accuses the latter of contravening the rules and procedures of the Senate.
In a letter to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, PTI Senator Azam Swati maintained that the list submitted by the PPP was in violation of the rules set by the upper house.
Pointing out the ‘anomalies’ in her list, Swati argued that the independents should first declare whether they wish to be a part of the treasury or opposition benches, following which they should be allowed to support a candidate for the leader of the opposition.
Last week, Sherry had submitted her nomination papers bearing signatures of at least 34 senators from various opposition parties, including independents, except the PTI and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), in her support.
Following the nomination of Sherry by the PPP, the PTI has stepped up its efforts, though belated, to woo the opposition members. It claims to have held meetings with the representatives of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), senators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) as well as the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) to seek their support.
Senator Swati told a local media outlet that the party enjoys support of the majority of opposition members.
The PTI has also accused the PPP of violating the agreement signed between the PPP, PTI and the independents for the top slots of the Senate and urged it to withdraw Sherry’s nomination.
Last week, Swati had told Pakistan Today, “Since the independent group from Balochistan has been given the slot of the chairman and the PPP has bagged the slot of deputy chairman, the opposition leader had to come from the PTI. But the PPP leadership moved ahead with nominating its own lawmaker for the slot which was a right of the PTI.”
According to reports in the media, Sherry Rehman—supported by 20 lawmakers from the PPP, eight members from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and six members of the independent group from Balochistan— outruns Azam Swati—supported by twelve PTI senators, five from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and two Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) senators.
