Imran Khan revives push to make veteran Achakzai opposition leader in parliament

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has renewed his push to appoint Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a veteran Balochistan politician, as the opposition leader in the National Assembly, a move that has reignited tensions within his beleaguered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, a senior party official said.

Senator Ali Zafar, speaking to reporters after meeting Khan at Adiala Jail following a hearing in the Toshakhana-2 corruption case against the former premier and his wife, Bushra Bibi, confirmed Khan’s intent to nominate Achakzai, chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), for the high-profile post.

Khan first proposed Achakzai for the role in August, after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified PTI’s Omar Ayub Khan as opposition leader over convictions linked to the May 9, 2023, riots, which erupted following Khan’s brief arrest on graft charges.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja announced on August 20 that Khan had selected Achakzai for the National Assembly slot and party stalwart Azam Swati for the Senate equivalent, as part of efforts to strengthen the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), a multi-party opposition alliance.

The decision sparked backlash within PTI ranks, with critics questioning why an outsider was tapped over party loyalists. The proposal was shelved amid internal dissent, but Zafar’s remarks signal Khan’s determination to revive it.

Achakzai, a 76-year-old known for his fierce criticism of Pakistan’s military establishment, could wield significant influence in the role, shaping debates and committee assignments in the lower house. The move comes as PTI grapples with internal strife. Zafar revealed Khan was “annoyed” over a public feud between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan.

Gandapur accused Aleema of colluding with Military Intelligence and angling for PTI’s leadership, prompting her to dismiss the claims as baseless. Khan has ordered both to cease public attacks, Zafar said, adding that a Thursday meeting with Gandapur was planned to address the rift, not to oust him.

The squabble underscores the challenges facing PTI as Khan, detained for 18 months and facing over 200 legal cases, seeks to unify a fractious opposition. Achakzai’s nomination aims to bolster TTAP’s anti-establishment credentials, leveraging his stature among Balochistan’s Pashtun communities.