ISLAMABAD: In pursuance of the SCP’s 12th July ruling apropos reserved seats (for women and non-Muslims), ECP on Monday (26th July, 2024) has notified 93 returned MPAs as PTI lawmakers.
The ECP notification says 29 seats in the Punjab Assembly, six seats in the Sindh Assembly and 58 seats in the KP Assembly were given to PTI.
ECP had earlier announced a list of 39 PTI MNAs who have won the general elections sans iconic symbol of bat.
Amjad Ali Khan, Saleem Rehman, Sohail Sultan, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Mehboob Shah, Junaid Akbar, Ali Khan Jadoon, Asad Qaiser, Shahram Khan, Mujahid Al, Anwar Taj, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Arbab Amir Ayub, Shandana Gulzar Khan, Sher Ali Arbab, Asif Khan, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Shahid Khan, Nasim Ali Shah, Sher Afzal Khan, Usama Ahmed Mela, Shafqat Abbas, Ali Afzal Sahi, Rai Haider Ali Khan, Nisar Ahmed, Rana Atif, Changaze Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, Khurram Shahzad Virk, Sardar Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi, Rana Muhammad Faraz Noon, Mumtaz Mustafa, Muhammad Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Umber Majeed, Awais Haider Jakhar and Zartaj Gul are the MNAs whose names had been announced by ECP.
PPP had challenged the SCP ruling apropos reserved seats here on 23rd of July, 2024. A week ago PML-N too went to the court to submit review petition against the SCP’s verdict. It may be recalled that in its 12th July ruling the SCP, reversing the PHC/ECP’s verdict, proclaimed that PTI was a legitimate political party that was eligible for the said seats.
It may be recalled that ECP had proclaimed on 19th July that it was all set to implement the SCP verdict in the reserved seats case. Eight out of thirteen Judges of the Supreme Court Full Bench headed by CJP Qazi Faez Isa here on 12th July, 2024 have ruled in favor of PTI, saying that ECP’s decision of allocating reserved seats to the ruling coalition was unconstitutional and ordered that the (minority and women) Reserved Seats should be given to IK’s party.
The majority verdict was given by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Irfan Saadat, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
Following the SCP ruling PTI is back as a party in the assemblies: “PTI was and is a political party, which secured general seats in the national and provincial assemblies in the general elections of 2024”.
By means of the verdict penned by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah the PHC Full Bench verdict of March, 2024 (upholding the ECP decision of denying the reserved seats to PTI-backed SIC) and ECP’s 13th May notifications were annulled, terming them against the Constitution of Pakistan.
It may be recalled that on 13th May, 2024, ECP had suspended, till further orders, the notifications of 75 (NA and PA) lawmakers who returned on reserved seats.
Reacting to the SCP verdict the Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar maintained that the SCP’s verdict posed no threat to the incumbent government. Talking to journalists at a Presser held here he stated that the ruling coalition had clear majority in NA and PA.
Law Minister pointed out that it was SIC that went to the court apropos reserved seats, whereas, PTI was not a party nor it had sought any relief. Responding to a query about government’s plans to ask for a review, he said political entities affected by the verdict should decide about it.
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman stated that his party partially accepted the verdict and would not lodge an appeal against the SCP full-bench decision on reserved seats.
Chairman PTI Gohar Ali Khan, while lauding the verdict, noted that by means of the SCP ruling the power of incumbent government to amend the Constitution had been blocked.
Following the SCP ruling PTI will emerge as the largest party in the Parliament with 109 seats. PML-N, that happens to harbor 108 members, is expected to remain perched at the pinnacle with a simple majority of 209.
Newspakistan.tv
