By Asif Naveed
ISLAMABAD; The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Wednesday declared its support for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) nominee Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
According to a statement issued by the JUI-F, a PTI delegation led by former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser — including KP President Junaid Akbar and Shahram Khan Tarakai — called on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his Islamabad residence.
From JUI-F, Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi, Jalauddin Advocate, and Maulana Asjad Mahmood were also present. The meeting discussed Pakistan’s overall political landscape and recent regional developments.
The PTI delegation briefed Maulana Fazl about their decision to nominate Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the joint opposition candidate in the National Assembly — a proposal the JUI-F leadership welcomed and endorsed.
The development follows PTI’s recent request to the National Assembly Secretariat to appoint Achakzai as the new opposition leader, after former leader Omar Ayub was disqualified from holding the position due to his conviction in the May 9 cases. Along with Ayub, Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul were sentenced to ten years in prison each in connection with the same case.
During the meeting, the PTI delegation also sought Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s input on a proposal to convene a national jirga in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote political dialogue and unity among parties. Maulana Fazl appreciated the initiative, describing it as a “positive step for national unity.”
The delegation further requested JUI-F’s cooperation for the vacant Senate seat from the KP Assembly and called for stronger coordination among opposition parties inside Parliament. Both sides agreed to maintain regular contact for potential political collaboration.
Two days earlier, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had told PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that he had no desire to become the opposition leader himself, clarifying that his party’s focus was on strengthening opposition unity rather than pursuing parliamentary positions.
