A meeting of opposition leaders earlier this month. Photo: File 

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the opposition parties is under way to rally around a joint candidate for prime minister.

The opposition parties have yet to unite behind a joint candidate to oppose the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee for prime minister ? Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Although the PML-N holds a majority in the National Assembly and can easily elect its own candidate, the opposition intends to 'put up a fight'.

The meeting is being held in the chambers of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf?s (PTI) Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed, PML-Q?s Pervez Elahi and Jamaat-e-Islami MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah are in attendance.

Rasheed, an ally of PTI, acquired nomination papers for prime minster on Sunday after being declared the PTI's candidate.

However, other opposition parties have yet to publically endorse Rasheed as their candidate for prime minister.

Opposition parties such as Pakistan Peoples Party, Qaumi Watan Party and Awami National Party are unlikely to rally behind the PTI candidate.

PPP MPA from Sindh, Saeed Ghani, said on Monday that if he could, he would still not vote for Rasheed as the prime minister since the premiership is a serious and sensitive matter and should not be taken lightly.