ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday notified Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the new opposition leader in the lower house, months after the key post was left vacant.

Achakzai, who also heads Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), was nominated for the top parliamentary post by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan for NA opposition leader following the disqualification of his predecessor Omar Ayub after being sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in a May 9 case.

“In pursuance of rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in NA, 2007, honourable speaker has been pleased to declare Mahmood Khan Achakzai, MNA, as Leader of the Opposition in NA with effect from January 16, 2026,” reads the notification issued by NA acting Secretary Saeed Ahmad Maitla.

The notification was issued after an opposition lawmakers’ delegation, including PTI’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Junaid Akbar, Aamir Dogar, Shahram Khan Tarakai, Latif Khosa and Jamal Ahsan Khan met NA Speaker Sadiq in his chamber.

Reacting to the development, PTI leader Ayub extended “heartiest congratulations” to Achakzai on being notified as NA opposition leader.

“It is a great singular honour and […] Achakzai sahib will InshaAllah fulfil his responsibilities brilliantly,” Ayub said in a post on X.

Achakzai’s appointment holds significance as he has called for a national dialogue among all political parties to steer the country out of crisis.

The PTI leaders also have repeatedly said that the mandate to hold dialogue with the ruling coalition vests with TTAP’s Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.

Speaking to Geo News today, senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Imran has authorised Achakzai to negotiate with the government.

“[…] Achakzai can decide better what to do,” he added.

The PTI, ever since former PM Imran’s ouster via a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, has been at loggerheads, with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The former ruling party has marched towards Islamabad on multiple occasions, leading to crackdowns and arrests by the police.

Meanwhile, the party also faces an uphill battle on the political and legal front with its founder Imran along with other senior leadership including Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid and others, behind bars over alleged involvement in May 9 incidents.

Earlier this month, PML-N Senator and PM Shehbaz Sharif’s aide Rana Sanaullah tressed the need for trust-building and sustained contact among Pakistan’s top five figures, saying no political breakthrough would be possible without confidence-building measures at the highest level.

Sanaullah suggested that the top five figures, namely Nawaz Sharif, PM Shehbaz, President Asif Ali Zardari, Imran and “another one” could meet and unless steps were taken to restore trust among them, the country would remain trapped in political deadlock, adding that informal contacts at lower levels would not resolve the crisis.

However, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar rejected the federal government’s proposal.

Neither can the top five big players meet, nor is there any need for it, the PTI chief remarked, stressing that the party had never called off negotiations, but questioned the logic of talks between the top five players.

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja urged the PML-N-led federal government to clarify its proposal for talks and noted that no dialogue could move forward without the PTI founder’s participation.