News Desk: Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai has been officially appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, bringing an end to a prolonged delay in filling the position.
An official notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat confirms that the Speaker has declared Achakzai as the opposition leader with effect from January 16, 2025. The announcement was made during a National Assembly session, where Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq summoned PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Chief Whip Amir Dogar to his chamber to formally convey the decision.
Earlier this week, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had confirmed that the party had resubmitted Achakzai’s nomination papers to the Speaker. This was the second formal attempt by the opposition to propose his name for the post.
The office of the opposition leader had remained vacant for nearly five months following the disqualification of PTI leader Omar Ayub in August 2025. In January, the Speaker had stated that the appointment process would be initiated afresh in line with constitutional requirements.
PTI founder Imran Khan had first nominated Achakzai for the position in August last year, shortly after Omar Ayub was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan in connection with convictions related to the May 9, 2023 incidents. Achakzai, who also heads the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan, was again nominated in October, though procedural issues contributed to further delays.
Under the National Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, the authority to seek and approve a nomination for opposition leader rests solely with the Speaker. After legal ambiguities surrounding Omar Ayub’s disqualification were resolved and required documents were submitted, the process moved forward, culminating in Achakzai’s appointment.
