On Tuesday, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq appointed Omar Ayub Khan, a prominent PTI figure, as the opposition leader in Parliament’s lower house.
A press release from the Assembly Secretariat revealed this followed a meeting between Sadiq and opposition members, including PTI’s Gohar Khan, Amir Dogar, and Ayub. During this encounter, Ayub’s candidacy was proposed.
After reviewing the nomination under Rule 39 of the NA’s rules and procedures, Sadiq confirmed Ayub as the opposition leader.
The secretariat’s announcement noted that Monday at 6 pm was the deadline for nominations, with Ayub being the sole nominee by then.
Previously, on March 9, the PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council alliance formally nominated Ayub by submitting the required paperwork to the speaker’s office.
While most PTI-aligned independents joined the SIC in February, Ayub and Gohar abstained, aiming to compete in PTI’s internal elections instead. Subsequently, they were elected, without opposition, as the party’s chairman and secretary-general, respectively.
The opposition leader, positioned opposite the NA speaker and beside the house leader, holds a federal minister’s rank, including access to a separate office for opposition gatherings. Typically, this role also leads the Public Accounts Committee.
