ISLAMABAD:
Opposition parties in the National Assembly, led by the PTI, have made a formal request in the lower house of parliament, nominating PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai as the leader of the opposition.
A group of opposition legislators, including PTI’s Aamir Dogar and Asad Qaiser, submitted the application with signatures of 74 MNAs on Tuesday. Three PTI members could not sign the application as they are currently abroad.
NA Additional Secretary (Legislation) Mushtaq Ahmed received the application and the Adviser’s office assigned it a diary number.
Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House after the meeting, Asad Qaiser said that Mehmood Khan Achakzai has rendered remarkable services for democracy, which is why all opposition parties have unanimously expressed confidence in him.
PTI’s Aamir Dogar said 74 opposition members signed the petition and added that Achakzai will be the unanimous voice of the opposition.
He said PTI had also nominated Achakzai as its candidate in the presidential election and it is not in the interest of Parliament to keep the post of opposition leader vacant. Dogar expressed hope that NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq would soon approve the request.
“The eyes of the entire nation are on the petition against the 26th constitutional amendment – if accepted, it will establish the true rule of the constitution and law in the land.”
Commenting on the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Asad Qaiser said that if both countries continue the dialogue, it will bring peace, stability and new employment opportunities.
He said reopening trade corridors would enable Pakistan’s exports to reach Central Asian countries. He also urged the federal government to allow a meeting between newly elected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI founder Imran Khan.
“This is our legitimate demand and all political colleagues should be allowed to meet Imran,” he added. Imran Khan has been detained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for the past two years.
He said that KP is yet to receive its due share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Awards, stating that after the merger of tribal areas of FATA with KP, the provinces’ share is 19% “but we have not received a single rupee yet”.
Qaiser noted that the province is not begging anyone but demanding its legal right. He said KP should not be punished “just because it stands with Imran”.
