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Saturday, June 08, 2013
PPP gets opposition leader’s slot in NA* PM is constitutionally bound to consult opp leader on several important matters
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday declared Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah as leader of the opposition.
A notification in this regard was issued by the National Assembly Secretariat. The decision was taken in pursuance of the Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The PPP had won 124 of the total 342 National Assembly in 2008 general elections, but managed to win only 41 in May 11, 2013 elections and became the second largest political party after the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). During the last five years, Shah has officiated as chief whip of his PPP and was among those few members of the ruling party who attended maximum sessions of the Lower House.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan the PPP has won only two general seats in Punjab and 31 from its traditional stronghold, Sindh. After winning 33 general seats, the party was allocated seven seats reserved for women and one for non-Muslims. However, the PPP failed to win a single seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and the federal capital.
The number game after the elections suggested that a possible alliance between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which has 35 seats and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which has 23 seats could have denied PPP the leader of the opposition but it did not happen. According to legal experts, the opposition leader has a crucial role as the prime minister is constitutionally bound to consult with him on several matters, including appointment of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, formation of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) and most importantly on appointment of the caretaker prime minister. In addition, the opposition leader has also been given a role in parliamentary committee for the appointment of superior courts judges through the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk