ISLAMABAD (MNN); PTI leader Amir Dogar on Thursday reiterated that the party stands firmly behind Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai as its nominee for the position of opposition leader in the National Assembly.
The PTI had officially proposed Achakzai for the slot last month after the post fell vacant following Omar Ayub’s disqualification. However, the National Assembly Secretariat maintains that Ayub’s disqualification remains a sub-judice matter.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has stated that, according to parliamentary norms, the process for selecting an opposition leader is announced on the floor of the house, allowing members to submit names once a formal schedule is issued. Since no schedule has been announced, the Secretariat says no nomination can currently be processed.
In a statement issued today, Dogar said the government had raised objections to Achakzai’s nomination through a formal letter, but PTI had decided to stand by its choice. He added that the nomination was made after consulting PTI founder Imran Khan and “would not be changed under any circumstances”.
Dogar said he would review the government’s letter with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan before issuing a reply. He argued that the opposition leader’s post has remained vacant for two months during which the 27th Constitutional Amendment was passed, adding that Achakzai is a constitutional member of the assembly and there is “no valid reason to object to his nomination”.
Along with Achakzai for the National Assembly, the PTI has also nominated Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the role of opposition leader in the Senate, a post left vacant after Shibli Faraz’s disqualification.
