Mehmood Achakzai Named Leader of Opposition in National Assembly After Delay

The National Assembly of Pakistan has officially appointed Mehmood Khan Achakzai as the Leader of the Opposition, ending a prolonged delay in filling the position. The announcement was made by NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who personally handed over the notification to PTI's Amir Dogar.

Appointment of Opposition Leader

After considerable anticipation, the National Assembly Speaker confirmed Mehmood Achakzai, chief of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, as the new Leader of the Opposition. The notification was formally delivered during the session, marking a significant development in parliamentary proceedings.

Session Highlights and Attendance

During the session, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry noted a two-day gap between sittings and reported lower-than-usual attendance, proposing a postponement of the Question Hour. However, Speaker Sadiq decided against postponement, emphasizing the members' hard work.

PTI chief Barrister Gohar commented on the duration of assembly sessions in neighboring India, highlighting that they last at least six hours. Concerns about attendance were reiterated during the proceedings.

Legislative Activity

Several bills were introduced by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, including:

• Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council Ordinance
• Railways Transfer (Amendment) Ordinance
• National Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill
• Export Development Fund (Amendment) Bill
• Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2026
• Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Amendment Bill
• Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (Amendment) Bill
• Islamabad Capital Territory Property and Management Bill

Enforcement of Asset Declaration Rules

The Speaker barred 32 members from entering the House due to their failure to submit asset details to the Election Commission. He instructed that members without declarations should not be marked present and urged those inside the chamber to leave voluntarily after checking the published list.