New beginnings

BOTH Houses finally have an opposition leader endorsed by the majority on the opposition benches. The missing pillars of parliament have thus been restored, and both the government and opposition parties deserve commendation for showing maturity on this matter.

After years of acrimony in the political atmosphere, the development certainly feels like a breath of fresh air. It promises what could be a fresh start to the process of political reconciliation. Both Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, appointed opposition leader in the Senate, and Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the new opposition leader in the National Assembly, have made positive overtures in their inaugural speeches, extending an olive branch to the government with the appeal that politics be run by politicians.

It also seems that their speeches have been generally well-received, albeit with some reservations. The chasm between the government and opposition may seem very large to bridge quickly or easily, but, after a long time, there seems to be a glimmer of hope.

Now that they have been notified, the big challenge before the two leaders is to marshal the opposition behind them. While the PTI, the largest and most influential party in the opposition, had endorsed their candidature and former prime minister Imran Khan publicly placed his trust in both Mr Achakzai and Mr Abbas, it remains to be seen whether the party will remain disciplined in how it reacts to the decisions they make.

With access to Mr Khan cut off, there is a strong chance that the PTI leadership on the ground may act in ways that the leadership in jail does not agree with, or vice versa. In such an atmosphere, if the various factions within the PTI start bickering over the right path forward, as they are wont to do, life would be made very difficult for Mr Abbas and Mr Achakzai.

The PTI has made a sensible decision in aligning itself with the two gentlemen; it must now allow them to exercise their judgement with confidence.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2026