ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Whip Aamir Dogar on Monday renewed the party’s demand for the immediate appointment of Mahmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, saying all objections raised by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had been resolved.
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PTI formally submitted its request for Achakzai’s notification after the party was compelled to nominate new opposition leaders in both houses following the removal of Omar Ayub from the National Assembly and Shibli Faraz from the Senate on August 9, after their convictions in the May 9 cases.
Talking to Geo News after meeting the NA speaker, Dogar rejected reports of backchannel contacts, clarifying that he personally met the speaker to reiterate PTI’s position through formal channels.
He said the speaker was informed that all procedural and legal hurdles had been cleared and that there was no longer any justification for delaying the notification. Dogar added that cases previously pending against Omar Ayub Khan had been withdrawn, eliminating the last legal obstacle cited by the Secretariat.
The PTI chief whip emphasized that Achakzai’s nomination was made by the party founder and unanimously endorsed by the party leadership, leaving no ambiguity over its legitimacy.
Referring to the exchange of official correspondence, Dogar said the process had been delayed due to repeated letters from the National Assembly Secretariat and PTI’s subsequent replies. He maintained that PTI lawmakers were ready to appear before the Secretariat to verify their signatures if required under parliamentary rules.
Separately, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that all steps regarding the appointment would be taken strictly in accordance with the Constitution, the law and parliamentary procedures. He added that the matter would be taken up again and the House informed during the next National Assembly session.
Earlier, on January 1, PTI submitted a formal reply to the Secretariat urging the speaker to issue the notification. Dogar, along with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and other party MNAs, also met the Legislation Secretary and submitted the required documents.
Dogar said there was now no pending court case related to the opposition leader’s position and called on the speaker to move swiftly to complete the process.
