ISLAMABAD Jan 10: Mian Raza Rabbani, parliamentary leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians in Senate, was on Monday appointed leader of the opposition in the upper house.

Mr Rabbani was not available for comments, but PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar welcomed the decision and said: "Although it has been delayed by two years, we still welcome it."

He disagreed with a suggestion that the post could have been given to the MMA, which was the second largest party, and said that rules of procedure and conduct of business authorized the chairman to appoint a person as leader of the opposition who in his view commanded for the time being support of majority of the opposition members.

The nominee of the joint opposition, including the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), enjoyed the support of 22 senators, against 20 for MMA's Prof Khurshid Ahmed, after the religious alliance's vice-presidents Prof Sajid Mir and Maulana Samiul Haq refused to vote in his favour.

Prof Ahmed welcomed the decision and said: "Although under parliamentary traditions the post should have been given to the MMA for being the second largest party in Senate, still I welcome the step which has been taken after a delay of two years."

Talking to Dawn, he said: "The MMA with the support of 20 senators was the single largest parliamentary group, followed by the ARD with 15 senators, but since other opposition groups had supported Mr Rabbani we welcome his appointment."