THE continuing delay in appointing leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and by extension, the Senate, raises questions about the government’s commitment to the spirit of parliamentary democracy. Whatever procedural explanations are offered, the fact remains that Pakistan’s legislature has been without a formally recognised opposition leader for months, an anomaly that no functioning democracy should tolerate. The latest assurance by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq that the process will now be initiated “afresh” hardly inspires confidence. Rules governing the appointment of an opposition leader are clear. The opposition has long conveyed its choice of PkMAP’s Mahmood Achakzai, and the legal obstacles cited earlier, particularly the issue of former opposition leader Omar Ayub’s disqualification, appear to have been resolved. Yet the Speaker’s office continues to fall back on verification exercises and procedural resets, even while offering its ‘good offices’. The focus here is on the National Assembly, where the delay has been most glaring. Mr Sadiq’s insistence that he is merely a facilitator would carry more weight if the facilitation translated into action. A parliament without an opposition leader is, arguably, structurally compromised. Leaving the post vacant sidelines dissent.

The saga exposes a familiar contradiction in our democracy. Political actors are quick to invoke the supremacy of parliament when challenged, yet less inclined to uphold this principle when it is inconvenient. In a robust democracy, all manner of pressure — political, institutional or arising from external circles — must be resisted. Otherwise, appeals to democracy ring hollow, and reverence for parliament becomes self-serving. The responsibility lies squarely with the government and the custodians of the House. It is not their role to judge the acceptability of the opposition’s nominee, only to ensure that the expressed will of the opposition is respected in accordance with the law. Any other approach amounts to influence over opposition representation, which weakens parliamentary legitimacy. The political system is already strained by polarisation. Prolonging avoidable disputes over a settled constitutional matter only deepens that crisis. If parliament is to reclaim credibility and authority, it must first put its own house in order. Promptly appointing opposition leaders in both Houses would be a small but essential step in that direction.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2026