Achakzai set to become opposition leader as NA nominations close

No rival candidate filed papers; PTI-backed independents support PkMAP chief

ISLAMABAD:

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai is set to assume the post of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly unopposed after the deadline for submitting nominations closed on Tuesday.

No other candidate filed nomination papers, leaving Achakzai – who also heads the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin Pakistan (TTAP) – as the sole nominee. Independent lawmakers backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) submitted their nomination documents in his favour.

Verification of the signatures on the nomination papers is scheduled for Wednesday. Once the process is completed, an official notification of Achakzai’s appointment will be issued.

The development follows a letter sent by PTI Chief Whip Malik Amir Dogar to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq earlier in the day. The letter said the opposition majority had unanimously nominated Mahmood Khan Achakzai as their leader.

It stressed that, under democratic traditions, the opposition has the right to elect its leader and urged the speaker to issue the notification immediately in line with Rule 39 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure and Conduct, 2007.

Rule 39 states that the Leader of the Opposition must be chosen from among members of the House belonging to the opposition who command the confidence of the majority of opposition lawmakers.

Read: Speaker sets opp leader appointment process in motion

Earlier, a PTI delegation concluded a meeting with the National Assembly speaker. The delegation included Barrister Gohar, Asad Qaiser and Malik Amir Dogar, who described the talks as constructive.

“We addressed all concerns, and there are no objections regarding the submitted nomination papers,” Barrister Gohar said. He added that the verification of signatures would be completed by Wednesday and the opposition leader would be formally announced thereafter.

He also said that the National Assembly would have its own opposition leader during Friday’s session, noting that no other nominations had been submitted. “There were no discussions in the Speaker’s office regarding negotiations,” he added.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Monday initiated the process for appointing the leader of the opposition in accordance with parliamentary rules, directing opposition lawmakers to submit their nominations by 3pm on Tuesday.

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He had also asked opposition parties to resubmit a signed list of members to the Speaker’s Office after fixing a fresh date for the process.

Speaking on a point of order in the House, PTI opposition chief whip Malik Amir Dogar said 76 opposition members had already signed documents nominating Mahmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition and had submitted them to the Speaker’s Office. He said the opposition would resubmit the list in line with the speaker’s directive, while again demanding immediate issuance of the notification.