ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, was appointed on Wednesday Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.

A notification issued by the speaker’s secretariat said: “On acceptance of the resignation of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who remained leader of the opposition, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of the PML-N has been appointed new leader of the opposition in the National Assembly from Sept 17.”

Mr Elahi was appointed leader of the opposition by Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza soon after the first session of the National Assembly in May.

He resigned last week when he lost majority support in the opposition after the PML-N left the ruling coalition and decided to sit in the opposition.

The PML-N had applied for allotment of seats on the opposition benches and later moved an application seeking the post of the leader of opposition for Chaudhry Nisar.

Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N has moved another application requesting the speaker to allot seats to his party members on the opposition benches in the joint session of parliament starting on Sept 20.

Although the speaker’s secretariat had informed the PML-N that seating arrangement for the joint session would be in alphabetical order, the party decided to make a fresh request for seats on the opposition benches.