Prime Minister’s Adviser and senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah. Photo: APP/ File
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that he expected progress on the Senate opposition leader’s appointment by next week following the appointment of Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the opposition leader in the National Assembly.
In October last year, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had nominated Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas as its candidates for the positions of the NA and Senate opposition leaders, respectively.
Following months of delay, Achakzai was appointed to the position today after NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued his notification. However, a decision regarding the Senate opposition leader is yet to be taken.
Speaking in an interview on Naya Pakistan on a private news broadcaster, Sanaullah said the NA speaker completed the required process and issued the notification appointing Achakzai after seeking the opinion of opposition members.
“There is now no hurdle remaning in the Senate [process] as well. I think as soon as the Senate chairman … returns next week, then I think this process [of the Senate opposition leader’s appointment] will be done.”
When asked about PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s remarks that Achakzai’s appointment would be taken as a confidence-building measure, Sanaullah termed the statement as a positive one.
He said opposition members should play their “full role” in Parliament and suggested that those who had distanced themselves from standing committees should return to the assembly floor and also participate in committee proceedings.
Responding to a claim by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl leader Kamran Murtaza that Achakzai had allegedly contacted PML-N President Nawaz Sharif for his intervention to enable the issuance of the notification, Sanaullah said he was unaware of any such contact.
However, he added that it was not possible that Speaker Sadiq would have taken such a decision without taking his party leadership and the prime minister into confidence.
Sanaullah said the government remained in contact with the PTI leadership, including Achakzai, but noted that a hostile environment within the party’s ranks limited public disclosure of such contacts.
He said there was a “verbal abuse brigade” within PTI that targeted individuals perceived to be engaging with the government, which is why such engagements were not openly highlighted, though contact with the party’s members continued.
Sanaullah said several PTI leaders believed that solutions could only emerge through Parliament and dialogue, adding that political parties should sit together as past discussions had eased matters and helped find a way forward.
However, he said PTI founder Imran Khan was not in favour of dialogue. He added that while PTI leaders wanted talks, they themselves said that Imran did not support negotiations. “When PTI members meet us, they also say that he is not ready, but that if given an opportunity, they can persuade him,” he added.
Sanaullah clarified that any such willingness could only emerge after February 8, citing the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan’s planned nationwide protest on that date.
