Imran Khan names Mahmood Achakzai as NA leader of opposition

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has named Mahmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, while Azam Swati has been nominated for the same role in the Senate.

The party's spokesperson Salman Akram Raja said that PTI founder Imran Khan picked Achakzai and Swati for opposition leader roles in both houses of parliament.

He said that consultations regarding the upcoming by-elections would be held at a high-level party meeting, with final decisions to be taken by its political committee.

عمران خان نے محمود اچکزئی کو قومی اسمبلی، اعظم سواتی کو سینیٹ میں اپوزیشن لیڈر نامزد کیا ہے، پنجاب اسمبلی کےلئے 5 نام مانگے ہیں جن میں سے ایک کو نامزد کرینگے، سلمان اکرم راجہ pic.twitter.com/uaUY41XlF3

— Khurram Iqbal (@khurram143) August 20, 2025

The development comes after the National Assembly Secretariat de-notified PTI’s Omar Ayub as Leader of the Opposition in the lower house following his conviction by an anti-terrorism court in cases linked to May 9 riots.

Along with losing the opposition leader’s slot, Ayub was also removed from the Public Accounts Committee and other parliamentary committees.

Also Read: PTI lawmakers challenge ECP disqualification order in PHC

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) subsequently issued disqualification notifications for Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, both of whom have challenged the decision in the Peshawar High Court.

In addition, seven disqualified PTI lawmakers were stripped of their memberships from 15 standing committees. Among them, Sahibzada Hamid Raza was removed as chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Zartaj Gul lost her membership of the same committee, and Rai Hassan Nawaz was de-notified as chairman of the Railway Committee.