Wasim Akhtar hits out at PM Shehbaz for not mentioning MQM-P agreement in speech

• "I am recording my protest," MQM-P leader Wasim Akhtar says.
• He says agreement with MQM-P should have been mentioned.
• "Shehbaz Sharif is prime minister due to MQM-P's support," he adds.

KARACHI: MQM-P's senior leader Wasim Akhtar Thursday lashed out at newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for not mentioning the agreement made with his party.

To get the MQM-P's support — a former ally of the PTI government — the joint Opposition had struck an agreement with the party and assured it of following up.

Following MQM-P's decision to switch sides and support the Opposition, the latter had enough votes to oust then-prime minister Imran Khan.

Read more: 'We reject PM Shehbaz's offer to probe letter-gate scandal'

"The stage was set today due to MQM-P's agreement [...] Shehbaz Sharif should have mentioned the agreement made with MQM-P in his speech," Akhtar told journalists in Islamabad.

The announcement of the reintroduction of the Benazir Income Support Programme was a welcome move, but the agreement MQM-P signed with JUI-F, PPP, and PML-N should also have been mentioned, Akhtar said.

"I am recording my protest [...] as Shehbaz Sharif is the prime minister due to MQM-P's support," Akhtar added.

Read more: Shehbaz Sharif elected as Pakistan's 23rd prime minister following Imran Khan's ouster

Shehbaz secured 174 votes as opposed to PTI's candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who received no votes after his party decided to boycott the polling process.

The poll took place under the chairmanship of MNA Ayaz Sadiq, two days after the lower house of Parliament voted in favour of removing Imran Khan from office, following a nearly 14-hour standoff between the Opposition and Khan's ruling party that started on Saturday morning.