Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday formally initiated the process to appoint a new opposition leader in the National Assembly, asking opposition parties to submit nominations under parliamentary rules. Consequently, the move ends months of uncertainty after the position remained vacant since August following the disqualification of Omar Ayub by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
While addressing the house, the speaker reiterated that earlier delays occurred because the matter was sub judice and the National Assembly Secretariat was made a party to related legal proceedings. However, after Omar Ayub withdrew petitions from the Supreme Court of Pakistan and high courts, Sadiq said the path was now clear to proceed legally and transparently.
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He directed opposition members to submit signed proposals in his chamber by 3pm on January 13 under Rule 39(ii) of the NA rules. Moreover, he announced that verification and counting would take place on January 14, with the nominee backed by the highest number of opposition lawmakers declared opposition leader.
The speaker also clarified that while the opposition had already forwarded the name of Mahmood Khan Achakzai, parliamentary rules required formal submission directly to the speaker. He recalled informing PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and opposition chief whip Malik Amir Dogar in November that legal constraints prevented earlier action.
Meanwhile, tensions surfaced in the house when the Pakistan Peoples Party staged a walkout, protesting an alleged ordinance issued without presidential approval. PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar termed the move unconstitutional, calling it unprecedented even during past authoritarian periods.
In response, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the issue stemmed from misinformation circulating online and assured the house that the government respected Asif Ali Zardari. However, after the PPP pointed out a lack of quorum, the speaker was forced to suspend proceedings, bringing the session to an abrupt halt.