ISLAMABAD:
After months of procedural vagueness and wrangling, the National Assembly on Friday finally saw the opposition benches regain a formal voice, as Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai was named opposition leader, returning formal opposition to the lower house amid wider political paralysis.
The appointment of Pakhtunkhwa Party chief Milli Awami (PkMAP), who also heads the opposition grand alliance, puts a long-stalled constitutional process back on track, after weeks of speculation over whether the notification would ever see the light of day.
President Sardar Ayaz Sadiq issued the much-awaited notification, providing a political silver lining amid a growing trust deficit between the Treasury and the opposition.
The post of opposition leader had remained vacant since August 7, after incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan nominated Achakzai as the consensus candidate. While the notification was widely expected by January 15, its delay triggered new uncertainty in opposition ranks and fresh accusations of deliberate slowness.
The impasse finally broke during a session of the National Assembly the next day, when Speaker Ayaz Sadiq summoned PTI chairman Barrister Gohar and chief whip Amir Dogar to his chamber, saying the notification was ready.
The three men ventured into the president’s room and, on their way out, confirmed the development.
“The notification has been issued today and Mahmood Achakzai has been officially declared as the Leader of Opposition,” said lawyer Gohar.
According to the official notification seen by The Express PK Press Club, the appointment takes effect from January 16, 2026. The notification, signed by the President, read: “The honorable President was pleased to declare Mr. Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Member of the National Assembly, as Leader of Opposition in the NA, with effect from January 16, 2026.”
“The notification was issued in accordance with Article 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the National Assembly of 2007,” reads a press release issued by the Secretariat of the National Assembly,” it adds.
“Confidence-building measure”
Speaking to reporters, lawyer Gohar expressed relief over the resolution of the issue, saying the opposition was waiting for its rightful leader.
“We waited for this decision for five months. It was our right, although it was delayed, but we finally got our right. We see it as a confidence-building measure and hope that it will pave the way for new beginnings,” he added.
Shortly after the notification, the congratulations started pouring in. Former opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan addressed
“It is a great and singular honor, and Mahmud Khan Ackhakzai sahib, InshahAllah, will fulfill his responsibilities brilliantly,” he said.
The National Dialogue Committee, led by Fawad Chaudhry, hailed Achakzai’s appointment as a victory for its agenda. In a statement on X, he said the appointment of Mahmood Achakzai as opposition leader fulfilled a major condition of the NDC charter.
“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should consider whether returning to parliamentary committees, if it helps pave the way for the release of political prisoners, would not really be too high a price to pay. It would also help pave the way for a meeting with Imran Khan,” he said.
Fawad Chaudhry further stressed that an opposition leader should also be appointed to the Senate without delay to ensure progress, adding that acceptance of this key demand from the National Dialogue Committee would help reduce the political temperature in the country.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also congratulated Achakzai. According to JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri, Fazlur Rehman called Achakzai to convey his best wishes and expressed hope that he would fully play his role in maintaining the supremacy of the Constitution.
Sanaullah reiterates his call for talks
The government also welcomed this appointment. The Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah Khan, renewed the call for dialogue with the opposition while congratulating Achakzai, reiterating that the Prime Minister’s invitation for negotiations remained open.
Achakzai was nominated by incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan weeks after Omar Ayub’s conviction, and the party formally submitted his name in October 2025. Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the National Assembly, 2007, confirms that it is the sole prerogative of the speaker to ask the opposition to submit a name, after which the opposition can present it.
However, the previous request was submitted to the Speaker’s office rather than directly to the speaker. The opposition accused the government of delaying the appointment, while Sadiq claimed the matter was pending due to the ongoing cases against Omar Ayub.
When Achakzai was appointed, Omar Ayub had challenged his removal in the Supreme Court and high courts, but later withdrew his petitions.
The National Assembly Secretariat sent four letters, the latest one dated December 29, to Chief Whip Amir Dogar seeking details of the cases related to Omar Ayub, stating that written confirmation was required to complete the process.
Dogar responded on January 5, confirming that Omar Ayub had withdrawn all pending cases. The president then assured that the nomination process would begin during the next parliamentary session.
On January 12, the speaker officially launched the nomination process for the NA opposition leader by requesting nomination proposals.
