Monitoring Desk: Amid a lack of trusted members within its own ranks, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
This move further underscores former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s apparent preference for leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as previous opposition leader Omar Ayub also hailed from KP. Additionally, Imran Khan has nominated Azam Swati—another KP native—as the Opposition Leader in the Senate.
Political observers interpret Achakzai’s nomination as a sign of PTI’s internal fragmentation and waning political strength. Known for his fiery rhetoric against the military establishment, Achakzai has long mastered the art of attributing Pakistan’s systemic failures to military interference. His appointment suggests that Imran Khan may be reigniting his confrontation with the establishment, despite recent attempts to reconcile. The military, however, has reportedly declined direct engagement with Khan, urging him instead to pursue dialogue with fellow politicians—reflecting its stated intent to remain uninvolved in the country’s political affairs.
