ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) dissident leader Raja Riaz Ahmad has become the Leader of the Opposition in the lower house of Parliament, following the withdrawal of PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi.
He contended with GDA MNA Ghous Bakhsh Mahar for the opposition leader’s slot.
Speaker National Assembly Raja Perviz Ashraf on Friday issued the notification of his appointment as the opposition leader.
Earlier, the dissident PTI MNA has submitted an application signed by 17 lawmakers in the National Assembly secretariat for nominating him as the opposition leader.
The deputy speaker had sought names from the aspiring candidates for the opposition leader and the one who would have the support of the majority of opposition lawmakers will be nominated for the slot.
The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MNA Ghous Bakhsh Mahar had also submitted application for the position.
Earlier, Moonis Elahi withdrew his candidature as the opposition leader, paving way for a one-on-one contest between Ghous Bakhsh Mahar and Raja Riaz.
Riaz was the strongest candidate for the slot not only that he had more votes but also because the government has a soft corner for him.
Raja Riaz who switched sides from PTI during the vote of no-confidence against the then prime minister Imran Khan had previously announced that he will contest the next general election on the ticket of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
In a statement, the former MNA said that he will contest polls on the PML-N ticket from NA-110 – Faisalabad.
