MWM Chief Raja Nasir Abbas Notified as Senate Opposition Leader

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the head of Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), was named the Senate’s opposition leader on Tuesday.

“The chairman of the Senate has been pleased to declare Senator Raja Nasir Abbas as leader of the opposition in the Senate, with immediate effect, in accordance with sub-rule (3) of Rule 16 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012,” the Senate Secretariat announced.

سینیٹر علامہ راجہ ناصر عباس نے سینیٹ آف پاکستان میں اپوزیشن لیڈر کی نشست سنبھال لی pic.twitter.com/nMklfEbvrK

— Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) January 20, 2026

Less than a week has passed since the National Assembly’s opposition leader was nominated following a months-long delay.

In October 2025, Abbas was the PTI’s nominee for the Senate position of leader of the opposition.

Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani told PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar on Monday that Abbas would be announced as the opposition leader in the upper house of Parliament on Tuesday (today).

Zafar had previously written to the Senate chairperson requesting Abbas’ appointment.

The PTI senator claimed that Gilani had agreed to the opposition’s demand that Abbas be appointed to the open post and that the house will also make a declaration regarding his appointment.

Zafar stated in a post on X that he met with the Senate chairman to discuss the opposition leader’s appointment.

In August 2025, the opposition leader’s Senate and NA seats became vacant after PTI members Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub were disqualified, respectively.

Following their convictions in cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified the two.

Then, the PTI nominated Achakzai for the NA seat and Abbas for the Senate role of opposition leader.