Imran's move to appoint new leaders puzzles partymen

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is puzzled after its jailed founder Imran Khan unexpectedly directed the appointment of new leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and Senate even though the party was optimistic about imminent relief from the courts in the unseating cases of Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, said a report.

- Tariq Butt

The sudden instruction - naming Mahmood Achakzai as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and Allama Abbas Nasir in the Senate from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi raised questions within PTI circles over what prompted such urgency at a time when most stalwarts believed a legal reversal of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision against Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz was a viable option.

The ECP had unseated Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz following their convictions in the May 9, 2023 cases.

The party's legal team had challenged the ECP decision in the court and some senior PTI leaders were hopeful of a favourable verdict.