ISLAMABAD (MNN); PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar on Monday presented documents to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq regarding the withdrawal of legal cases involving PTI leader Omar Ayub, while once again pressing for the appointment of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai as the Leader of the Opposition.
The move comes nearly a month after the National Assembly Secretariat sought written clarification from Dogar about the status of cases against Omar Ayub, stating that such details were required to complete the constitutional process for appointing the opposition leader in the lower house.
According to a post on the National Assembly’s official X account, Dogar handed over the relevant documents to the speaker and discussed matters related to the vacant opposition leader slot. During the meeting, Dogar reiterated PTI’s demand for Achakzai’s appointment, while Ayaz Sadiq assured him that all steps would be taken strictly in accordance with the law and the Constitution.
The speaker also said he would brief the house on the issue during the next National Assembly session. He noted that the process for appointing the opposition leader would be initiated afresh and added that the rules governing the appointment were clear.
The position of Leader of the Opposition has remained vacant since August last year, when the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Omar Ayub following his conviction in the May 9 cases. In the same month, jailed PTI founder Imran Khan nominated Mehmood Khan Achakzai for the post, but despite repeated demands by PTI, the official notification has yet to be issued.
Omar Ayub had earlier challenged his disqualification in the Supreme Court but later withdrew his petition in October. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had previously attributed the delay in appointing a new opposition leader to the matter being sub judice, a reference to Ayub’s legal challenge.
In its letter to Amir Dogar last month, the NA Secretariat said that while the opposition had claimed on the floor of the house that Omar Ayub’s cases were no longer sub judice, this information had not been formally conveyed in writing. The secretariat requested written confirmation of the current legal status of the cases to complete the prescribed procedure for declaring the Leader of the Opposition.
No Formal Contact for Talks
Earlier in the day, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq told reporters that the opposition had not yet made any formal approach to initiate dialogue with the government. According to a handout issued by the NA Secretariat, Sadiq said his role in any talks would be limited to that of a facilitator.
He added that the committee system in the National Assembly was functioning in line with constitutional requirements and stressed that he remained completely independent in his role. On the issue of the opposition leader’s appointment, Sadiq said four letters had been sent to the opposition’s chief whip and that only after the fourth letter did the opposition submit a certified copy of its decision.
He said the constitutional process for appointing the next opposition leader would begin in the upcoming parliamentary session, after verification of the signatures of opposition members.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his offer for talks with the opposition, stressing that dialogue could only take place on legitimate issues. Subsequently, participants at a national conference organised by the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan opposition alliance agreed that dialogue should always remain open in a democratic system.
On the same occasion, leaders from across the political spectrum, including senior figures from the ruling PML-N, called for restraint and dialogue, warning that political confrontation was fuelling instability and violence. However, PTI later announced it would not hold talks with the federal government, saying the decision was taken on the instructions of party founder Imran Khan.
Bangladesh Visit
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also recalled his recent visit to Bangladesh to attend the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. During the visit, he shook hands with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, marking the first high-level interaction between Pakistani and Indian officials since the military standoff in May 2025.
Sadiq said the Pakistani delegation received a warm and unprecedented welcome from the Bangladeshi public. He added that the Indian foreign minister approached him and exchanged greetings. The speaker also met Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, describing the meeting as cordial.
He said both sides agreed to promote parliamentary and public relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, adding that he would always remember the affection shown by the Bangladeshi people.
