Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has nominated Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chief of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), as the new Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
The decision was reportedly conveyed by Imran Khan during meetings with visitors at Adiala Jail, where he is currently imprisoned. His move comes after a leadership gap emerged due to the disqualification of former opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan.
Omar Ayub was removed from his role as Leader of the Opposition and stripped of his membership in the Public Accounts Committee and other parliamentary bodies. This action followed his conviction by an anti-terrorism court in cases connected to the May 9 incidents.
Following the court’s ruling, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued official disqualification notices against Omar Ayub and PTI leader Shibli Faraz. Both leaders are no longer part of parliament as per the ECP’s order.
However, the disqualified leaders have challenged these decisions in the Peshawar High Court. Omar Ayub’s petition argued that the ECP acted unlawfully, claiming its notification was unconstitutional and should be declared void. Similarly, Shibli Faraz also filed a petition, asserting that his disqualification was illegal and requesting the court to overturn the notification.
Political observers believe Imran Khan’s nomination of Mahmood Khan Achakzai signals an important shift in opposition politics. With Achakzai’s long-standing political experience and influence, PTI aims to strengthen its role in parliament despite recent setbacks.
The court proceedings on the petitions filed by Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz are still underway. Their outcomes could further shape the parliamentary landscape in the coming weeks.
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