On August 20, 2025, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja announced that Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai has been named the new Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA).
The decision follows the disqualification of Omar Ayub Khan and Senator Shibli Faraz by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 8, due to convictions related to the May 9, 2023, riots.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court, Raja revealed that PTI founder Imran Khan also nominated Azam Khan Swati as the Senate Opposition Leader. For the Punjab Assembly, Khan requested five names to finalise the opposition leader. A PTI political committee meeting scheduled later today will address upcoming by-elections, with decisions entrusted to the committee.
Read: Supreme Court Delays Imran Khan’s Bail Hearing to August 21
The ECP disqualified Ayub, Faraz, and other PTI parliamentarians under Article 63(1)(g) of the Constitution, which bars members convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude. A Faisalabad anti-terrorism court sentenced over 100 PTI leaders, including Ayub, Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza, to up to 10 years for their roles in the May 9 riots. These protests, sparked by Imran Khan’s arrest, involved attacks on military installations and public property.
Last week, the Peshawar High Court issued a stay order on the appointments of new opposition leaders, responding to petitions by Ayub and Faraz challenging their disqualifications. The court sought the ECP’s response, with hearings ongoing to determine the validity of their removal as MNA and Senator. The court also examined the page quality and relevance to user intent.
