Islamabad, December 8, 2025: The National Assembly (NA) Secretariat has written to PTI Chief Whip Malik Aamir Dogar, requesting details regarding the status of cases involving PTI’s Omar Ayub, as criticism grows over the delay in appointing a new opposition leader in the lower house.
According to the letter, providing the requested details in writing is essential to complete the process for the declaration of the opposition leader in the National Assembly.
Ayub, who previously served as opposition leader in the Senate, was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in August in connection with his conviction in the May 9 cases. He had challenged the disqualification in the Supreme Court, but later withdrew his plea.
Following Ayub’s disqualification, the PTI nominated Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai for the position, but his notification as opposition leader remains pending.
While NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has maintained that the delay is due to the matter being “sub judice”, the PTI leader has emphasized that Ayub’s cases are no longer under review.
The NA Secretariat’s letter, dated December 5, notes that although the opposition had informed Parliament that Ayub’s cases were not sub judice, this information was not formally conveyed in writing. The secretariat has therefore requested the current status of the cases, in which it has been made a party, to be submitted in writing to finalize the appointment process.
