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Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)
Parliamentary position in Pakistan
Parliamentary position in Pakistan
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Leader of the Opposition |
| body | Pakistan |
| insignia | Emblem of National Assembly of Pakistan.png |
| incumbent | Mahmood Khan Achakzai |
| member_of | National Assembly of Pakistan |
| reports_to | Parliament of Pakistan |
| incumbentsince | 16 January 2026 |
| termlength | While leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government |
| first | Kiran Shankar Roy |
| style | The Honorable (formal) |
| Leader of the Opposition (spoken) | |
| constituting_instrument | Constitution of Pakistan |
| formation | 7 July 1955, 63 years ago |
Leader of the Opposition (spoken)
The leader of the opposition (Urdu: قائد حزب اختلاف) is the people's elected politician who is, by law, the leader of the Official Opposition in Pakistan. The leader of the opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government. This is usually the leader of the second-largest political party in the National Assembly.
The leader of the opposition is normally viewed as an alternative Prime Minister. There is also a leader of the opposition in the Senate, who is elected / nominated separately by the opposition members of the Senate of Pakistan.
Powers of the opposition leader
The leader of opposition has constitutional authority to consult with the elected prime minister for appointment of a caretaker prime minister. A caretaker prime minister is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and opposition leader.
They have constitutional authority to consult with the prime minister for appointment of the chief election commissioner and members of Election Commission of Pakistan. The president appoints the chief election commissioner and members after consultation with the opposition leader and prime minister.
The chairman of the National Accountability Bureau is appointed after consultation between the prime minister and opposition leader.
They also recommend names of two members of the National Assembly as members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan from opposition benches for appointment of judges of Supreme Court, High Courts and Federal Shariat Court.
List
A list of the leaders of the opposition before and according to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.
| Leaders of the Opposition | Portrait | Starting term | Ending term | Political affiliation | Political ideology | Pakistan National Congress}}; color:white" | 1 | Pakistan National Congress}}; color:white" | 2 | Pakistan National Congress}}; color:white" | 3 | Awami League}}; color:white" | 4 | Muslim League (Pakistan)}}; color:white" | 5 | National Democratic Front (Pakistan)}}; color:white" | 6 | National Democratic Front (Pakistan)}}; color:white" | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pakistan Muslim League (F)}}" | 10 | Awami National Party}}; color:white" | (8) | Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white" | 11 | 12 | Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white" | (11) | 13 | Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}" | 14 | 15 | Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white" | 16 | 17 | 18 | Sunni Ittehad Council}}; color:white" | 19 | Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party}}; color:white" | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiran Shankar Roy | [[File:Kiran_Shankar_Roy.jpg | 98x98px]] | 9 August 1947 | 22 January 1948 | PNC | Secularism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dhirendranath Datta | [[File:Dhirendranath datta.jpg | 98x98px]] | 23 January 1948 | 1953 | PNC | Secularism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sris Chandra Chattopadhyaya | 1953 | 6 July 1955 | PNC | Secularism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy | [[File:H S Suhrawardy PM.jpg | 98x98px]] | 7 July 1955 | 11 September 1956 | AL | Islamic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I. I. Chundrigar | [[File:Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar.jpg | 98x98px]] | 16 December 1957 | 1 October 1958 | PML | Pakistani nationalism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sardar Bahadur Khan | 8 June 1962 | 21 August 1964 | NDF | Islamic democracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nurul Amin | [[File:Nurul amin.jpg | 95x95px]] | 12 June 1965 | 25 March 1969 | NDF | Islamic democracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Khan Abdul Wali Khan | [[File:Abdul Wali Khan (cropped).jpg | 75x75px]] | 14 April 1972 | 17 August 1975 | NAP | Democratic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| title=Leaders of Opposition | url=https://www.na.gov.pk/en/print_list.php?type=oppleaders | access-date=2024-06-13 | website=www.na.gov.pk}} | 17 August 1975 | 5 July 1977 | PNA | Islamism | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Syed Fakhar Imam | [[File:Fakhar Imam (cropped).jpg | 83x83px]] | 24 March 1985 | 29 May 1988 | PML(F) | National conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Khan Abdul Wali Khan | [[File:Abdul Wali Khan (cropped).jpg | 75x75px]] | 2 December 1988 | 6 August 1990 | ANP | Democratic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benazir Bhutto | [[File:Benazir Bhutto.jpg | 100x100px]] | 6 November 1990 | 18 July 1993 | PPP | Democratic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nawaz Sharif | [[File:Nawaz Sharif detail, 981203-D-9880W-117.jpg | 96x96px]] | 19 October 1993 | 5 November 1996 | PMLN | Pakistani conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benazir Bhutto | [[File:Benazir Bhutto.jpg | 100x100px]] | 17 February 1997 | 12 October 1999 | PPP | Democratic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fazal-ur-Rehman | [[File:Fazl-ur-Rehman (30287690872) (cropped).jpg | 104x104px]] | 25 March 2004 | 15 November 2007 | JUI (F) | Religious conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parvez Elahi | [[File:Nambardar Zafar Iqbal with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | 10 April 2008 | 16 September 2008 | PML(Q) | Conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan | [[File:Nisar Ali Khan 1.jpeg | 75px]] | 17 September 2008 | 7 June 2013 | PMLN | Pakistani conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Khurshid Shah | [[File:Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah 2.jpg | 75px]] | 7 June 2013 | 31 May 2018 | PPP | Democratic socialism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shehbaz Sharif | [[File:CM Punjab Shehbaz Sharif (35771007583).jpg | 75px]] | 20 August 2018 | 10 April 2022 | PMLN | Pakistani conservatism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Raja Riaz | 20 May 2022 | 10 August 2023 | PTI | Welfarism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Omar Ayub | [[File:Omar Ayub Khan.jpg | 75px]] | 2 April 2024 | 8 August 2025 | SIC | Constitutionalism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mehmood khan Achakzai | [[File:Mehmood khan Achakzai (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | 16 January 2025 | Incumbent | PKMAP |
References
References
- "Leaders of Opposition".
- (26 May 2004). "Fazl named leader of opposition: ARD rejects decision". DAWN.
- (14 September 2008). "Parvaiz Elahi resigns as opposition leader". DAWN.
- (18 September 2008). "Nisar is now Leader of Opposition in NA". DAWN.
- (7 June 2013). "PPP's Khursheed Shah declared leader of opposition in NA". DAWN.
- (20 August 2018). "Shehbaz Sharif notified as Opposition Leader in NA". The News International.
- (20 May 2022). "Raja Riaz appointed opposition leader in NA". The Express Tribune.
- (2 April 2024). "PTI's Omar Ayub made opposition leader in National Assembly". DAWN.
- "PTI leader Omar Ayub removed as Opposition Leader in Paks National Assembly".
- Salamat, Sajid. (2026-01-17). "Achakzai notified as opposition leader after much ado".
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