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Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leader of the Opposition of Pakistan
since 16 January 2026
StyleThe Honorable (formal)
Leader of the Opposition (spoken)
Member ofNational Assembly of Pakistan
Reports toParliament of Pakistan
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Pakistan
Formation7 July 1955, 63 years ago
First holderKiran Shankar Roy

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

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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

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The table lists the people who were, or who acted as, leaders of the opposition in Pakistan's national legislature since the independence of the country in 1947.

This comprised the Constituent Assembly from 1947 to 1954, the second Constituent Assembly from 1955 to 1958, and subsequent National Assemblies following the passage of the Constitution of 1973.[1]

  Independent
Leaders of the Opposition PortraitStarting termEnding termPolitical affiliationPolitical ideology
1 Kiran Shankar Roy 9 August 1947 22 January 1948 Indian National Congress Secularism
2 Sris Chandra Chattopadhyaya 28 February 1948 24 October 1954 Pakistan National Congress
3 Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy 7 July 1955 11 September 1956 Awami League Islamic socialism
4 I. I. Chundrigar 16 December 1957 1 October 1958 Muslim League Pakistani nationalism
5 Sardar Bahadur Khan 8 June 1962 23 December 1963 Council Muslim League Islamic democracy
6 Yusuf Khattak 24 December 1963 22 January 1965
7 Nurul Amin 12 June 196525 March 1969National Democratic FrontPakistani conservatism
8 Khan Abdul Wali Khan 14 April 197217 August 1975National Awami PartyDemocratic socialism
9 Mufti Mehmood[1] 17 August 19755 July 1977Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamIslamism
10 Haji Saifullah Khan 23 March 1985 19 March 1987[1] Independent Parliamentary Group National conservatism
11 Syed Fakhar Imam 3 May 1987[1]29 May 1988
12 Khan Abdul Wali Khan 2 December 19886 August 1990Awami National PartyDemocratic socialism
13 Benazir Bhutto 6 November 199018 July 1993Pakistan People's PartyDemocratic socialism
14 Nawaz Sharif 19 October 19935 November 1996Pakistan Muslim League (N)Pakistani conservatism
15 Benazir Bhutto 17 February 199712 October 1999Pakistan People's PartyDemocratic socialism
16 Fazal-ur-Rehman[2] 25 March 200415 November 2007Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamReligious conservatism
17 Parvez Elahi[3] 10 April 200816 September 2008Pakistan Muslim League (Q)Conservatism
18 Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan 17 September 20087 June 2013Pakistan Muslim League (N)Pakistani conservatism
19 Khurshid Shah[4] 7 June 201331 May 2018Pakistan People's PartyDemocratic socialism
20 Shehbaz Sharif[5] 20 August 201810 April 2022Pakistan Muslim League (N)Pakistani conservatism
21 Raja Riaz 20 May 202210 August 2023Pakistan Tehreek-e-InsafCentrism
22 Omar Ayub[6] 2 April 20248 August 2025[7]Constitutionalism
23 Mehmood Khan Achakzai 16 January 2026[8]IncumbentPashtunkhwa Milli Awami PartyPashtun nationalism

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "Leaders of Opposition". www.na.gov.pk. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Fazl named leader of opposition: ARD rejects decision". DAWN. 26 May 2004.
  3. ↑ "Parvaiz Elahi resigns as opposition leader". DAWN. 14 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "PPP's Khursheed Shah declared leader of opposition in NA". DAWN. 7 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "Shehbaz Sharif notified as Opposition Leader in NA". The News International. 20 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Sadozai, Irfan; Guramani, Nadir (2 April 2024). "PTI's Omar Ayub made opposition leader in National Assembly". DAWN.
  7. ↑ "PTI leader Omar Ayub removed as Opposition Leader in Paks National Assembly". The Tribune. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  8. ↑ Salamat, Sajid (17 January 2026). "Achakzai notified as opposition leader after much ado". Daily Times. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
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