ZULFIQAR AHMAD

ISLAMABAD: A large number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers have made it clear that no one except party chief Imran Khan will be acceptable to them for the lucrative slot of opposition leader in National Assembly after some members floated the idea to hand-pick Shah Mehmood Qureshi for the position.

The party leaders split into two groups over the matter, but the sources said that it is demand of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to nominate someone else other than Imran Khan, as the party is not comfortable to work with PTI chief for his diatribe against Altaf-led MQM.

They said that majority of the PTI MNAs have categorically stated that Qureshi or any other leader can not fill in the shoes of Imran Khan after some MPs opined to nominate Qureshi as opposition leader to keep a good liaison with the MQM-P.

“It was decided at a meeting of the PTI parliamentary party that no one expect party chairman Imran Khan would be nominated as opposition leader in National Assembly, and this should be clear to everybody if they still have any doubt in their mind,” said a senior PTI leader who declined to be named.

Similarly, the PTI MPAs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also made it crystal clear to the leadership that no one except Imran is acceptable in case of an agreement between the two parties to change the opposition leader in NA.

A senior party leader opined that Qureshi was too “soft-spoken” for the task, and the gigantic task of dealing with the government does not suit to anyone else except Imran Khan.

They said senior party leader Jehangir Tareen is also supporting the camp that is opposing Qureshi’s nomination.

Following indictment of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in a graft reference, PTI’s parliamentary committee also demanded his immediate resignation, besides putting names of other Sharif family members on Exit Control List (ECL).

An accountability court Wednesday indicted Dar in a case filed against him by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) – the top anti-graft watchdog for allegedly possessing assets beyond known sources of income.

The meeting of PTI parliamentary committee met here with party chairman Imran Khan to take stock of the situation arising out of the prevalent situation in the country, especially after the corruption references filed against Sharif family and Ishaq Dar.

The PTI also reiterated removal of director general Intelligence Bureau (IB) for having a meeting with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his stay in London last week.

The party also accused the DG IB of blackmailing ruling PML-N MNAs who are flexing muscles to join PTI. The party also said that an adjournment motion against the top civilian spy master will be submitted to the National Assembly as to why he is overstepping his official mandate.

In the present circumstances, the PTI said that the country can not afford any confrontation within state institutions and there early elections should be held to end the crisis-like situation.

Later briefing the media, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry expressed satisfaction over the indictment of Ishaq Dar. He said that Dar could not handle the current financial crisis and hence the sooner he quits, the better it would be.

He said that Nawaz Sharif ridiculed the Supreme Court in his press conference on Tuesday, which is not acceptable and the party would not allow anybody to ridicule the courts.

“Nawaz Sharif has presented a charge-sheet against the Supreme Court and ridiculed its decision despite his claims that he respects the law…I would urge the authorities concerned to take action against him for scandalizing the courts,” he added.

He said the former PM has arrived in the country to face cases but his children should also come back and the Sharifs should return the illegal money stashed in their bank accounts.

He also lambasted the government for spending millions of rupees on the protocol and security of Nawaz Sharif for his ‘five-minute’ court appearance on Tuesday.

In an unprecedented move, a statement issued by the party’s Central Media Cell said that at offset of the meeting, prayer was offered for the early recovery of the Nawaz Sharif’s ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz who is undergoing cancer treatment in London.

Fateha was also offered for Lt Arsalan Alam of Pakistan Army who embraced martyrdom some days back.