The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday reserved its verdict on pleas pertaining to the allotment of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) wherein PTI backed independents joined on the party leadership decision after winning from their respective constituencies.
PTI took the decision after the PTI lost its electoral symbol in the run-up to the February 8 elections. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, lawyer Ali Zafar, and SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza appeared before the electoral watchdog.
During the hearing, the ECP stated that the decision has been pending before the commission and also put on hold the notifications for the 10 reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and 21 reserved seats for women in the KP Assembly.
PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar arguments
PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar argued: “Constitution of Pakistan stated that independent MNAs could join any political party and "it does not mean a parliamentary party. If SIC was denied its reserved seats, the elections for the Senate, office of prime minister, president, speaker and deputy speaker would be affected.”
CEC shares SIC letter
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja also shared a letter by the SIC with the PTI counsel stating that the party did not contest the general elections, and hence, does not want the reserve seats.
The also ECP reminded the PTI representatives that a list of candidates for reserved seats should be submitted before polls, which the SIC had failed to do.
