Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday notified Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chief and PTI-backed Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas as the opposition leader in the upper house of parliament. “In pursuance of sub-rule (3) of Rule 16 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, the chairman Senate has been pleased to declare Senator Raja Nasir Abbas as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, with immediate effect,” said a notification issued by the Senate Secretariat. The post has been lying vacant since August last year, when the then-opposition leader in the upper house of the parliament, Shibli Faraz, was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following his conviction in cases related to riots on May 9, 2023. The development came a week after Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai was appointed leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. Speaking on the floor of the upper house after his notification, Raja Nasir reaffirmed his loyalty to jailed PTI founding chairman Imran Khan and said he would uphold principles without compromise. The Senate opposition leader called on politicians and parliamentarians to focus on the needs of ordinary citizens rather than elite interests. He highlighted the struggles of people who lack funds for medicine, electricity, and their children’s education, stressing that the country’s governance should prioritise public welfare. He urged lawmakers to enact laws and policies that directly benefit the people. Speaking during the session, he called for freedom of expression, urging authorities to allow people to speak without fear. The opposition leader said resolving the political crisis required the release of the PTI founding chairman, adding that parliament should raise its voice for the release of political prisoners. The PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate, Ali Zafar, earlier, penned a letter to the Senate chairman, urging the appointment of a leader of the opposition in the upper house of the parliament. Zafar said the office of the opposition leader was crucial in a parliamentary democracy, adding that the position was essential for effective governance, constitutional oversight and transparency in the parliamentary system. A day earlier, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the MWM chief — an ally of the PTI — would be the opposition leader in the Senate.
PTI-backed Allama Raja Nasir Abbas appointed as Senate opposition leader
