ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly and Senate Secretariats on Friday formally declared the offices of the Leader of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament vacant, following the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Syed Shibli Faraz.
In separate notifications, issued by the two secretariats, the parliamentary leadership held by both senior PTI members was rendered void with effect from August 5, 2025, in compliance with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP’s) orders under Article 63 of the Constitution.
According to the notification, issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, Omar Ayub Khan ceased to be the Leader of the Opposition following his disqualification from NA-18 (Haripur). “The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly has become vacant with effect from 5th August, 2025,” read the statement.
Earlier during the session, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq informed the House about the disqualification of several PTI-affiliated members, including Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Ahmed Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Jamshed Dasti and Rai Haider Ali, citing ECP’s decision in light of a court ruling.
With their disqualification, these members were stripped of key parliamentary roles. Zartaj Gul was de-notified as PTI’s Parliamentary Leader, while Ahmad Chattha lost his position as Deputy Parliamentary Leader. Omar Ayub was also removed from the Public Accounts Committee and the Finance Committee, while PTI’s disqualified lawmakers lost memberships in at least 15 standing committees.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza was removed as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, Zartaj Gul lost her membership in the same committee, and Rai Hassan Nawaz was de-listed as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Railways.
Meanwhile, the Senate Secretariat also issued a formal notification de-notifying Senator Shibli Faraz as Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House.
On the other hand, it seems the PTI is yet to decide on whether or not to contest the by-elections, to be held on the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats, which fell vacant due to disqualification of its legislators and those supported by it.
“That is a matter which is yet to be considered. We have enough days to decide prior to the electoral process gets under way and the time of withdrawals comes,” said PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali, when The News asked him about the party position on the by-polls.
Meanwhile, PTI parliamentary party Friday held a stormy meeting, as some of the members complained about issuing statements of certain members against each other in public and the leadership going soft on it.
PTI insiders told The News that the meeting also deliberated on the possibility of return of the ousted MNA Sher Afzal Marwat to the party fold, as besides other lawmakers, its senior leaders were also de-notified on Friday as the opposition leaders in Senate and the National Assembly.
Marwat was present in the parliamentary party meeting on the leadership’s invitation, and it was suggested that he should be given patient hearing. However, the parliamentary party requested him to wait for the outcome of the report, they would present before the incarcerated leader Imran Khan for his final decision about his fate.
Separately, ex-minister Shehryar Afridi, in a chat with Geo News, said the parliamentary party had not taken any final decision.
Separately, Aleema Khan, the sister of party founder, said that (state minister for interior) Talal Chaudhry should be asked why Imran Khan’s children were not being issued visas.
Talking to the media outside the Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi, she explained that in this connection, advocate Faisal Malik has been asked to contact Talal Chaudhry.
Aleema Khan said the government could not stop Sulaiman and Qasim from coming to Pakistan. “We will contact the ambassador again today for visas; if the visa is not received, the children will try harder.”
