Islamabad, January 16, 2026: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday formally notified Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the new Leader of the Opposition in the lower house, ending months-long vacancy of the key parliamentary position.
Achakzai, who is also the head of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), was nominated for the post by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan following the disqualification of former opposition leader Omar Ayub. Ayub was removed from the position after being sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in a May 9-related case.
“In pursuance of Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, the honourable Speaker has been pleased to declare Mahmood Khan Achakzai, MNA, as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly with effect from January 16, 2026,” read the notification issued by Acting National Assembly Secretary Saeed Ahmad Maitla.
The notification followed a meeting between Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and a delegation of opposition lawmakers, including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Junaid Akbar, Aamir Dogar, Shahram Khan Tarakai, Latif Khosa, and Jamal Ahsan Khan.
Reacting to the development, PTI leader Omar Ayub congratulated Achakzai on his appointment. “It is a great honour, and InshaAllah Achakzai sahib will fulfil his responsibilities brilliantly,” he said in a post on X.
Achakzai’s appointment is seen as significant amid ongoing political tensions, particularly as he has repeatedly called for a national dialogue among all political parties to steer the country out of its current political crisis. PTI leaders have also stated that the mandate to engage in dialogue with the ruling coalition rests with Achakzai and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
Speaking to media, senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Imran Khan had authorised Achakzai to negotiate with the government. “Achakzai can decide better what to do,” he remarked.
PTI has remained at odds with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) since Imran Khan’s ouster through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022. The party has staged multiple marches towards Islamabad, resulting in police crackdowns and arrests. Several senior PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Yasmin Rashid, remain incarcerated over alleged involvement in the May 9 incidents.
Earlier this month, PML-N Senator and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s aide Rana Sanaullah stressed the need for trust-building and sustained engagement among the country’s top political leaders, arguing that no political breakthrough would be possible without confidence-building measures at the highest level. He suggested a meeting among key figures, including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Imran Khan.
However, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan rejected the proposal, stating that such a meeting was neither possible nor necessary. He maintained that PTI had not ruled out negotiations but questioned the logic of talks limited to a handful of leaders.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja urged the federal government to clarify its stance on dialogue, reiterating that no meaningful talks could take place without the participation of the party’s founder.
