ISLAMABAD: Rana Ansar, an MPA from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has been elected as the new Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, replacing PTI’s Haleem Adil Shaikh.
Rana Ansar secured support from 39 members out of the 69 opposition members, which included 20 MQM-P, 10 GDA members, and nine PTI dissidents.
Upon her election as the new opposition leader, Sindh Assembly’s Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani congratulated her. She further highlighted the fact that she is the first woman to hold this position in the house. “You are the first woman who has been elected as the leader of this house”, said the speaker.
The newly elected opposition leader expressed gratitude towards her party and the Speaker of the Sindh Assembly. She emphasized that, as a woman, she deeply understands the challenges faced by the people of Sindh. She vowed to address pressing issues such as water, gas, and infrastructure, which are crucial for the region’s development.
MQM-P initiated the process for a change in the opposition leader by nominating Rana Ansar for the office and submitted the request in the provincial legislature.
MQM-P lawmakers, including Farooq Sattar, Nasreen Jalil, and Rana Ansar, collected signatures from fellow lawmakers and submitted her nomination to the Sindh Assembly Secretariat. The mentioned MQM-P members filed the application in the PA Secretariat.
While speaking to journalists, he highlighted that the opposition leader and other lawmakers from his party were not attending the provincial assembly. He emphasized the importance of filling this gap in the Sindh Assembly to effectively represent the opposition benches.
Farooq Sattar stated that both the Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader must jointly decide on the caretaker chief minister. He further expressed MQM-P’s complete confidence in Rana Ansar, who also serves as the party’s parliamentary leader.Rana Ansar from MQM-P Elected as New Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly