In a significant legal move, Mashal Yousafzai, represented by senior lawyer Qazi Anwar, filed a petition naming the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as a respondent. The petition calls for the adjustment of candidates who submitted nomination papers for reserve seats and underwent scrutiny.
PTI, represented by Yousafzai, argued that as a listed party, they possess the right to reserve seats and asserted that all candidates seeking tickets for these seats were PTI members who submitted affidavits accordingly. They emphasized that only the Supreme Court holds the authority to delist parties, underscoring the legal framework within which they operate.
Furthermore, PTI requested an urgent hearing for the petition to address the pressing issues at hand.
It’s worth noting that PTI had fielded independent candidates in the February 8 general elections following the Supreme Court’s decision to strip the party of its election symbol.
The results of the elections saw PTI-backed independent candidates securing significant seats across various assemblies. Notably, they secured 87 seats in the provincial assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 116 seats in Punjab, and 94 seats in the national assembly.
The distribution of reserved seats among successful political parties and the process of government formation in provincial assemblies have commenced following the announcement of the election results.
The ECP has outlined specific procedures for distributing reserved seats among successful political parties. For instance, in the Punjab Assembly, one seat will be allocated for women for every nine general seats, and one for minorities for every 37.12% of total seats.
In a recent development, PTI announced that its party-backed independents who secured seats in various assemblies will be joining the Sunni Ittehad Council to secure its share in reserved seats. This strategic move comes in compliance with the Election Act, 2017, which mandates independent elected representatives to join a political party within three days of notification. PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan made this announcement during a press conference, where he revealed that candidates have formally submitted their affidavits to the party, signaling their consent to join the Sunni Ittehad Council.
