The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and party leader Azam Swati as opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively.
According to PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, former Prime Minister Imran Khan picked the nominations and conveyed the same to him. He said Khan had directed the party to provide him a list of five names for the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, adding a decision would soon be forthcoming.
All three slots were vacated after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified lawmakers following their convictions in cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots. Previously, Omar Ayub was the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly; Shibli Faraz was the opposition leader in the Senate; and Malik Ahmad Bhachar headed the opposition ranks in the Punjab Assembly.
Achakzai, a veteran politician from Balochistan, also heads the PTI-led Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan opposition alliance. He is known for his anti-establishment stance and has repeatedly demanded non-interference of the military in civilian matters. Swati joined the PTI shortly before the 2013 general elections. He has come under some controversy within the PTI, as Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan questioned his loyalties last year.
During his conversation with his legal team on Wednesday, Khan also directed the PTI’s public committee to convene and deliberate on whether or not to contest by-elections. Earlier, Aleema had claimed that Khan had opposed any participation in by-polls on seats vacated after the convictions of several PTI leaders in May 9 cases.