In a significant development, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has intervened to prevent the oath-taking of lawmakers notified on reserved seats that were denied to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). During a hearing presided over by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Shakeel Ahmad, the court issued directives to halt the swearing-in process and instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to provide its response by tomorrow.
This decision follows the electoral body’s recent verdict rejecting the SIC’s plea for allocation of reserved seats, prompting the party to challenge the decision. The ECP ruled that the reserved seats would be distributed among political parties based on their representation in the assemblies, excluding the PTI-backed SIC due to procedural and legal deficiencies.
With the allocation of reserved seats completed, the PML-N and its allies have secured a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, further underscoring the significance of this legal development.
During today’s hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer highlighted constitutional provisions and emphasized that the PTI-backed independent candidates had joined the SIC within the specified deadline. The court expressed concern over the ECP’s decision and referred the case to the PHC chief justice for the formation of a larger bench to address the matter, signaling a pivotal juncture in the ongoing legal proceedings.
