KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) will support the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate in the contest for the Senate’s opposition leader, it was announced on Thursday.
This was decided in a meeting held between the MQM-P leaders and a PTI delegation in Bahadurabad.
Speaking to the media, MQM-P’s Faisal Sabzwari said that the MQM-P would not vote for Sherry Rehman, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate for the opposition leader slot, as the PPP had “destroyed Sindh in 10 years”.
He also said that Saleem Mandviwala is a resident of Karachi but the MQM-P did not vote for him in the Senate chairmanship elections, as he was associated with the PPP.
According to details, Senator Azam Swati could be PTI’s nominee for the post but a formal announcement in this regard will be made on Friday.
On Wednesday, the PPP nominated Rehman as its candidate for Senate opposition leader. PPP will need the support of other opposition parties to have Rehman appointed as it only has 20 seats in the Senate. Currently, six independent senators from the tribal areas are supporting the PPP’s nominee.
The PTI has a total of 12 seats in the Senate and the MQM-P has five. At least 12 seats are occupied by independent senators from the tribal areas and Balochistan.
Whoever has a simple majority in the election will be appointed as the leader of the opposition.
THE CANDIDATES:
PPP’s candidate, Shahrbano Rehman, better known as Sherry Rehman, was born on December 21, 1960, in Karachi. She was educated at Smith College and later at the University of Sussex where she studied Art History and Political Science.
Rehman served as an MNA and a minister in the centre for various departments including health, women’s development and information. She also served as Pakistan’s ambassador to United States in PPP-led government’s recent term.
PTI’s probable candidate, Azam Khan Swati was born in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Swati started his career as a practicing lawyer in Karachi but then left for the USA in 1978. In 1997, Swati established Pak-Oil Company and acquired a jobber-ship for Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Shell and Diamond Shamrock.
Besides fuel distribution and wholesale business, he has handsome investments in real estate in the Beaumont-Golden Triangle area as well as in the bordering state of Louisiana.
