ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) officially nominated Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai for coveted position of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA). PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that Achakzai’s nomination papers had been submitted to NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, marking the second time the party has pushed for his appointment.
The nomination comes as Speaker Sadiq reopened process for selecting the opposition leader, a post that has been left vacant for nearly five months since the disqualification of PTI’s Omar Ayub in August 2025.
The written proposal, dated January 12, underlined that Achakzai enjoys the confidence of the majority of opposition members, citing Rule 39 of the National Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. According to the rules, the opposition can propose a leader who commands the support of most members on its benches, making Achakzai the most qualified candidate.
PTI argued that a timely appointment is crucial for ensuring the opposition can effectively perform its constitutional and parliamentary duties. Gohar stressed that Achakzai is party’s sole nominee and expressed optimism that the NA will officially notify him as opposition leader.
Achakzai’s nomination has deep political roots. He was first nominated by incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan in August 2025, shortly after Khan’s disqualification after convictions linked to May 9, 2023 riots. Achakzai, who also heads opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP), previously had his nomination submitted to the speaker’s office in October 2025, though not directly to the speaker, a technicality that delayed the process.
The opposition accused the government of deliberately stalling Achakzai’s appointment, while Speaker Sadiq had previously described the matter as “sub judice”, referring to Ayub’s appeal against his disqualification. Ayub eventually withdrew all petitions.
NA Secretariat sought detailed updates from PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar regarding Ayub’s cases. Dogar submitted requested documents on January 5, after which the speaker announced that the appointment process would be initiated afresh in the next parliamentary session. On Monday, during the NA session, the speaker officially opened the floor for nominations, bringing the long-awaited process closer to a conclusion.
With tensions high and the political spotlight firmly on Achakzai, all eyes are now on the NA to see whether he will finally secure the role of opposition leader and end a months-long vacancy in Pakistan’s lower house of Parliament.
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