PTI’s Barrister Gohar writes to NA speaker on opposition leader appointment

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has written a letter to National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in which he has requested him to notify the appointment of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai as leader of the opposition in the assembly, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

Sources told the 24News TV channel that the PTI chairman, in the letter, showed concern that so far, the speaker had not notified Achakzai as the opposition leader. “Therefore, you are requested to issue the notification for the appointment of Achakzai as the opposition leader at the earliest,” Barrister Gohar added.

On the other hand, the speaker has assured the PTI chairman that he will soon take a decision on the appointment of the leader of the opposition. “I will take a decision on the matter in light of the constitution and rules of the National Assembly,” he has assured.

The opposition in the NA had on Tuesday formally nominated Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition.

PTI Chief Whip Aamir Dogar and former speaker Asad Qaiser submitted the application, bearing the signatures of 74 opposition lawmakers, to the office of the Secretary of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers unanimously expressed confidence in the PMAP chairman.

Earlier, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan had nominated Achakzai for the position of the opposition leader.

It should be noted that the opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, was removed from his post as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified him following his conviction in cases related to the May 9 riots. 

Reporter: Usman Khan