Imran Khan’s PTI Becomes Largest Party in Pakistan After Supreme Court Ruling on Reserved Seats

The Election Commission of Pakistan implements a Supreme Court ruling to allot reserved seats to Imran Khan’s PTI, making it the largest party in Parliament.

Key Points

• Pakistan’s Election Commission will implement the Supreme Court’s order to allot reserved seats to Imran Khan’s PTI.
• The Supreme Court ruling increases PTI’s seats in the National Assembly from 86 to 109.
• The ECP held meetings to ensure the verdict’s implementation and instructed its legal team to identify any obstacles.
• The ECP condemned PTI’s criticism and demands for the resignation of the CEC and members.
• The dispute over reserved seats involved a plea by the Sunni Ittehad Council, which was rejected by the ECP and the Peshawar High Court.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced it will implement the Supreme Court‘s decision to allocate reserved seats to Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, positioning it as the largest party in Parliament. This significant move follows a key judgment last week by a 13-member full bench of the Supreme Court, which ruled 8-5 in favor of PTI’s eligibility for seats reserved for women and minorities in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

As a result of the ruling, PTI’s seats in the National Assembly will increase from 86 to 109, with the addition of 23 reserved seats. This decision marks a pivotal moment for the 71-year-old Khan’s party, enhancing its influence in the legislative body.

On Friday, the ECP confirmed its decision to follow the Supreme Court’s directive. The electoral body had convened two meetings on Thursday and Friday to discuss the implications of the reserved seats case verdict, as reported by Geo News. The ECP instructed its legal team to swiftly identify any potential obstacles to the implementation of the verdict, with plans to seek further guidance from the apex court if necessary.

In its statement, the ECP also condemned the criticism directed at the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other members by a political party, indirectly referring to PTI. The statement described the demands for the resignation of CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members as “ridiculous,” asserting that the commission would not yield to pressure and would continue to operate within the bounds of the constitution and the law.

Following the Supreme Court’s July 12 ruling, which affirmed PTI’s eligibility for the reserved seats, the party renewed its call for the resignation of the CEC and other ECP officials. However, the ECP has maintained its stance against such demands, emphasizing its commitment to impartiality and legal adherence.

The decision comes after candidates backed by PTI, who had run as independents in the February 8 elections following the party’s loss of its election symbol, joined forces with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a coalition of Islamic political and Barelvi religious parties. This coalition was formed as a strategic alliance to strengthen their political standing.

The dispute over the reserved seats stemmed from SIC’s plea to the ECP, requesting its share of the 70 reserved seats in the National Assembly and 156 seats in the provincial assemblies. The ECP rejected SIC’s plea on the grounds that the party did not contest the elections as an official entity but gained strength only after PTI-backed independents joined. This decision was upheld by the Peshawar High Court in March, leading SIC to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.

With the Supreme Court’s favorable ruling for PTI, the ECP is now set to implement the decision, potentially reshaping the political landscape. The ruling has significant implications for the upcoming legislative processes, as PTI’s increased representation will allow it to exert greater influence in Parliament.