PTI to sit on opposition benches in Centre, Punjab: Barrister Saif

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said on Friday that the party had decided to sit on the opposition benches in the National and Punjab assemblies.

He made these remarks while addressing a press conference after a PTI delegation met Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Sherpao at his residence in Islamabad.

Led by former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, the PTI delegation included Shaukat Yousafzai, Mehboob Shah, and Barrister Saif. Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leaders Ahmad Nawaz Jadoon, Hashim Babar, and Sikandar Hayat Khan were also present at the meeting.

“On the directives of PTI founder Imran Khan, we have decided to sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly, as well as the Punjab Assembly,” Barrister Saif said, adding that the party would have made its government in the Centre, however, “PTI was deprived of the seat it had won through rigging”.

During the meeting, PTI sought the cooperation of QWP against the alleged rigging in the recently held election.

The development comes a day after PTI nominated party’s secretary general Omar Ayub’s name for premiership, and Mian Aslam Iqbal for Chief Minister of Punjab.

It should be noted that PTI and Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had announced that they reached an agreement that February 8’s elections were rigged and could only lead to instability.

The parties revealed their agreement after a delegation from the PTI called on Maulana Fazalur Rehman a day earlier to discuss the post-election scenario in the country.