After making Senator Raza Rabbani opposition leader in the Senate, the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy expects that the Speaker would also follow the suit and name ARD's man for the slot in the National Assembly. "We will not submit a fresh request in this connection, but expect that the speaker will follow the same principle and name Makhdoom Amin Fahim opposition leader," remarked a senior ARD leader here.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday, he said that there was no logic in retaining Maulana Fazlur Rehman as the opposition leader after the chairman Senate's decision to name Rabbani in the Senate.
On the basis of having more support, the ARD candidate was made the leader of the opposition in the Upper House. Rabbani had support of 22 senators, while Professor Khurshid Ahmed enjoyed backing of 20 members.
However, contrary to this formula, which is in accordance with the Constitution and the parliamentary practices, setting aside Amin Fahim (with 79 members support), Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain made Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the MMA opposition leader last year. Maulana Fazl had 58 members' support.
The ARD leader pointed out that "under the same rules, you couldn't follow one principle in the Lower House and the other in the Upper House of the Parliament."
He clarified, however, that in the spirit of cordiality, ARD would not approach the speaker for a review of his earlier decision, but expected that the same principle would be followed in the National Assembly sooner or later.
"The naming of Rabbani as the opposition leader is our victory and that our stance on the issue in the National Assembly was constitutionally correct," he maintained.
Opposition parties had alleged that Maulana Fazl was given the coveted post just because of the MMA's support to the government on the 17th Amendment last year. However, the religious parties' alliance had denied the allegation out rightly.
It might be pointed out that already a set of amendments has been finalised, suggesting that the NA speaker or the chairman Senate would not use his discretion in naming the opposition leader, instead he would decide it on the basis of any candidate, proving maximum support of opposition lawmakers.