Pakistan Politics: Junaid Akbar Nominated for PAC Chair

In a significant development, Imran Khan, the founding chairman of PTI and former premier, has nominated Junaid Akbar Khan for the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), replacing Sheikh Waqas Akram after the government raised objections.

Junaid Akbar Khan, a member of the National Assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, currently chairs the NA's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. He represents NA-9 Malakand and is affiliated with the Sunni Ittehad Council. The nomination of Junaid Akbar Khan comes after the government and its allies expressed objections to the initial nomination of Sheikh Waqas Akram.

Omar Ayub Khan, the Leader of the Opposition, has called a meeting of the PAC to consider the five nominees, with Junaid Akbar's name at the top of the list. The meeting is expected to finalize the election of the new chairman. The federal government and opposition have reportedly reached a consensus on PTI MNA Junaid Akbar as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

The development is seen as a significant step towards resolving the impasse over the PAC chairmanship, which had been pending for some time. The election of Junaid Akbar as the chairman is expected to streamline the functioning of the committee and ensure that it plays its role in holding the government accountable for its financial dealings.