The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) announced on Thursday its support for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate in the contest for the Senate's opposition leader.
The development came after a PTI delegation called on the MQM-P leaders in Bahadurabad.
Addressing the media alongside PTI local leader Imran Ismail and Senator Azam Swati, MQM-P's Faisal Sabzwari said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had destroyed Sindh in 10 years.
He added that it is not appropriate for the MQM-P to vote for Sherry Rehman, the PPP candidate for the opposition leader slot.
The PTI leaders informed the media that they will announce their nominee on Friday. Sources said Senator Swati, who hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, could be the party's nominee for the post.
On Wednesday, PPP nominated Rehman as its candidate for Senate opposition leader.
Sources said six of eight independent senators from the tribal areas are supporting the PPP.
PPP, which has 20 seats in the Senate, will need the support of other opposition parties to have Rehman appointed.
The PTI has a total of 12 seats in the Upper House of Parliament and the MQM-P five. Moreover, there are around a dozen independent senators from the tribal areas and Balochistan who are in the opposition.
An election is held among opposition party members to elect the opposition leader by a simple majority.
A senior figure in the PPP, Rehman served as the editor of Herald for over a decade before making a foray into politics. She was elected to the national assembly in 2002 and was re-elected in 2008, and served as the federal minister for information and broadcasting.
She has also served as a senator since 2015 and was Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US (2011-13).
