ISLAMABAD:
Five months after Mahmood Khan Achakzai was appointed opposition leader in the hope that he could lead the PTI from confrontation to dialogue, Tuesday’s events in the National Assembly suggested that he was once again treading the familiar path of political stagnation.
During his speech at the National Assembly, Achakzai called the government “illegal”, accused it of undermining democratic institutions and questioned restrictions on the opposition’s political activities, asking Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif what “crime” the opposition had committed to be denied the right to hold protests and public rallies. Shehbaz rejected the allegations and defended the legitimacy of his government.
The exchange escalated when the president intervened and warned Achakzai not to criticize national institutions in the House. The opposition later condemned the president’s statements, calling them an attempt to curb parliamentary dissent.
Frustration within the PTI is no longer limited to closed doors. Ali Muhammad Khan, speaking on the record, said that the prime minister had invited Achakzai twice for talks and that Achakzai now needed to take a bold decision and fulfill the purpose for which he had been appointed.
The pressure is no longer merely rhetorical. In recent weeks, senior PTI leader Shahid Khattak reportedly warned that the party could strip both Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas of their positions and powers if they failed to produce results.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid put it clearly: Mehmood Khan Achakzai is a sensible and democratic-minded leader who knows how to resolve complex political issues.
However, he argued that the real problem lies not with Achakzai himself but with those who appointed him opposition leader, as they are not giving him the authority he was expected to have.
As a result, both Achakzai and the broader opposition, as well as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, face internal difficulties.
