PTI Leadership Nominations Spark Debate Within Party
Several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have reportedly expressed concerns over recent nominations for key parliamentary positions, arguing that the party already has capable members who could fill the roles.
The matter was discussed in PTI’s political and parliamentary committees, with some members voicing reservations. However, others emphasized that the decision of PTI’s incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, should be considered final and binding.
Earlier, Imran Khan nominated Mahmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Azam Khan Swati as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja confirmed the nominations, stating that the party has finalized its decisions for both houses of parliament.
The nominations follow the official vacancy of three key PTI-held positions in the National Assembly — Opposition Leader, Parliamentary Leader, and Deputy Parliamentary Leader.
These vacancies arose after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified several PTI lawmakers, including National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub and Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, following convictions in the May 9 riots cases. Notifications issued by the ECP cited Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars convicted individuals from holding parliamentary seats.
Among those disqualified were National Assembly members Zartaj Gul, Rai Haider Ali, SIC chairman Hamid Raza, and Rai Hassan Nawaz. Additionally, MPs Ansar Iqbal, Junaid Afzal Sahi, and Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal were also disqualified.
The disqualifications followed sentences handed down by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad, which sentenced several PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, and Shibli Faraz, to 10 years in prison over the May 9 riots.
Former PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Kastro, however, were acquitted in these cases.
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