Quest for consensus failed over joint opposition candidate

ISLAMABAD: In today's meeting Monday, the opposition parties failed to have a consensus on joint opposition candidate as every party forwarded their separate nominee for the slot of prime minister.

The opposition parties' wavering stance on joint candidate to oppose the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) nominee for prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, increases the chances of his win as the party already holds majority in the National Assembly.

However, a meeting of opposition parties held in the chamber of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah failed to come up with a united candidate as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) members submitted separate nomination papers.

Addressing the media, Shah said that the rigorous approach of PTI chairman Imran Khan is affecting the unity of the opposition side.

If Imran thinks he can defeat PML-N solely then he must go ahead, he added, according to local media.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed proceeded to the National Assembly Secretariat after the meeting to submit Rasheed's nomination papers.

The PML-N's candidate Abbasi also submitted his documents for nominations on Monday (today). Meanwhile, MQM-P's Sheikh Salahuddin, PPP’s Khursheed Shah and MNA Naveed Qamar also submitted their nomination papers following the meeting.