ISLAMABAD: Amid growing criticism over the prolonged delay in appointing the leader of the opposition, the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat has written to PTI Chief Whip Malik Aamir Dogar, seeking written details about the status of cases against party leader Omar Ayub.
Both key parliamentary posts — leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and in the Senate — have remained vacant since August, following the disqualification of PTI leaders Ayub and Shibli Faraz by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after their convictions in the May 9 cases.
PTI has nominated PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai for the NA slot and MWM leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the Senate position, yet neither has been officially notified.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the NA Secretariat said the chief whip was asked to clarify in writing whether Ayub still had any cases pending in court, and to provide updated information regarding ongoing proceedings.
The spokesperson noted that although the opposition had verbally informed the secretariat earlier that no cases were pending against Ayub, no written confirmation had been submitted — a requirement to complete the nomination process.
The secretariat has now formally requested Dogar to submit the necessary documents so the procedure for appointing the opposition leader can proceed.
PTI leader and former NA speaker Asad Qaiser has repeatedly claimed that the opposition has already provided all required documents to Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. However, Sadiq has maintained that the matter remains “sub judice”.
Meanwhile, senior parliamentarians, constitutional experts and parliamentary journalists have urged Speaker Sadiq and Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani to immediately recognise the opposition’s nominees and fill the long-vacant positions in both houses, terming it essential for parliamentary balance and democratic functioning.
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