ISLAMABAD: The Senate Secretariat announced on Monday that PTI Senator Shibli Faraz has been named the new leader of the opposition in the Senate.
Faraz’s candidacy for the post was announced last week by PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, as was largely expected given the support of 21 senators.
A notification was used to confirm the appointment, which was done in accordance with Rule 16(3) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012.
Prior to joining the PTI government, Faraz was the communications minister. He has been a senator since 2015. Earlier this month, he was also appointed as the PTI’s focal point.
The promotion of Faraz to opposition leader status coincides with a three-week break in Senate business caused by the retirement of fifty-two senators on March 12.
The ruling alliance won 19 seats in the ensuing votes on April 2, which cleared the way for Yousuf Raza Gillani, the former prime minister, to be elected Senate chairman without opposition.
Gillani’s election took place in the midst of the 41 freshly elected senators being sworn in, all under loud protests from the PTI, who had abstained from the proceedings due to unfinished votes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
