*ISLAMABAD: Dissident Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNA Raja Riaz has beenappointed as opposition leader in National Assembly with the support of 16lawmakers. *
*Opposition leader will select the new interim Prime Minister of Pakistanand the new Chairman NAB in coming days in consultation with the PrimeMinister Shahbaz Sharif. *
Riaz joined the race for the opposition leader’s slot along with GDA MNAGhous Bakhsh Mahar, following the withdrawal of PML-Q MNA Moonis Elahi.
The dissident PTI MNA had submitted an application signed by 17 lawmakersin the National Assembly secretariat for nominating him as the oppositionleader.
The deputy speaker has sought names from the aspiring candidates for theopposition leader and the one who would have the support of the majority ofopposition lawmakers will be nominated for the slot.
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Earlier, Moonis Elahi withdrew link hiscandidature as the opposition leader, paving way for a one-on-one contestbetween Ghous Bakhsh Mahar and Raja Riaz.
The sources said that Riaz who had the support of 17 lawmakers contrary toMahar’s three votes will likely be appointed the opposition leader.
Raja Riaz who switched sides from PTI during vote of no-confidence againstthe then prime minister Imran Khan had previously announced that he willcontest next general election on the ticket of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N).