Omar Ayub declared opposition leader in NA

ISLAMABAD: Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has declared Omar Ayub Khan, a PTI-backed MNA of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), as the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly as he enjoys the support of majority of opposition members in the House.

“In pursuance of Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, the Speaker has been pleased to declare Omar Ayub Khan MNA as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly with effect from April 2, 2024,” a notification issued with the signature of Secretary National Assembly Tahir Hussain said.

The MNAs were given time until 6 pm on April 1, 2024, for the submission of proposed names as the opposition leader. No other proposals were received at the given time.

The opposition has submitted the name of Omar Ayub Khan as the opposition leader.

The speaker, under Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, declared Omar Ayub Khan the opposition leader upon completion of the scrutiny process.

It may be pointed out here that a proposal bearing the names and signatures of 92 MNAs was submitted to the Speaker’s Chamber after Shehbaz Sharif’s election as the prime minister last month to declare Omar Ayub Khan as the opposition leader. The request has been pending with the Speaker since then.

The Speaker apprised Omar Ayub Khan of his decision to declare him the opposition leader in the National Assembly in his chamber at Parliament House on Tuesday. The SIC Chief Whip, Aamir Dogar, was also present at the meeting.

Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007 states that after the general election and at any time thereafter, the speaker shall declare the Leader of the Opposition as early as possible after the election of the prime minister.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, while chairing the second session of the National Assembly, announced that members could submit names for the Leader of the Opposition by 6 pm on April 1 while counting will be done at 11 am on April 2.

Meanwhile, PTI-backed MNAs have been designated as independent members on the official website of the National Assembly.

An official of the National Assembly Secretariat, when approached, said that PTI-backed MNAs could not be considered as SIC members unless the Secretariat received intimation from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the MNAs have joined the SIC.

He said the PTI supported MNAs also could not have a parliamentary leader unless the ECP informed the National Assembly Secretariat that they have joined the SIC.