Islamabad, January 19, 2026: The treasury and opposition benches in the Senate have agreed on Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas as the new Leader of the Opposition in the upper house, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Ali Zafar announced on Monday.
This appointment follows the recent selection of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. According to Ali Zafar, the decision came after consultations between Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and members from both treasury and opposition benches.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar confirmed that the MWM chief, an ally of PTI, will assume the opposition leadership in the Senate, with an official notification being issued shortly.
The post had remained vacant since August 2025, when then-opposition leader Shibli Faraz was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following convictions related to the May 9, 2023, riots.
PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate had earlier submitted a letter to the chairman nominating Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the position and urged his immediate appointment.
Barrister Ali Zafar stressed that the office of the opposition leader is crucial in a parliamentary democracy, providing essential constitutional oversight, promoting transparency, and ensuring effective governance. He added that the prolonged vacancy had left the upper house institutionally incomplete.
