The Wire Pakistan Exclusive: Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision on PTI’s Eligibility for Reserved Seats Deals Blow to Shehbaz Sharif’s Coalition

The Wie Pakistan Exclusive: Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision on PTI’s Eligibility for Reserved Seats Deals Blow to Shehbaz Sharif’s Coalition

Islamabad, July 12, 2024: In a significant judicial development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared that Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is eligible for the reserved seats for women and minorities, in a decision that represents a major setback for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition.

The historic verdict was delivered by a 13-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Friday. The decision annulled the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) previous ruling and overturned the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision, declaring them unconstitutional.

This decision follows a series of appeals filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) challenging the denial of reserved seats for women and non-Muslims, which the PHC and ECP had previously denied to it. The SIC had sought these seats after PTI-backed candidates, who had won as independents in the February 8 elections, joined the SIC to form a temporary coalition.

The Supreme Court’s majority verdict, delivered by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and supported by seven other judges, upheld PTI’s status as a political party and its right to claim the reserved seats. The court’s ruling asserts that the withdrawal of an election symbol does not disqualify a party from participating in elections or claiming reserved seats.

PTI Celebrates Victory and Demands Resignation of CEC Raja

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, PTI leaders celebrated the verdict and called for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja. PTI’s official X account demanded accountability for what it described as violations of the Constitution of Pakistan.

PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra congratulated Imran Khan and the party’s supporters, stating on X, “We are on the right side of history, as difficult as that may be. The fight will go on.” He also raised concerns over the ECP’s “malafide intent” in handling the case.

Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari joined the celebration, commending the clarity of the majority opinion while criticizing the minority opinions for their perceived confusion.

Acting President PTI Punjab Hammad Azhar praised the “eight principled judges” and called for the release of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, emphasizing the need to restore democracy and human rights in Pakistan.

The Reserved Seats Controversy

The controversy over the reserved seats began in March when the ECP ruled that the SIC was not entitled to the reserved seats due to procedural errors and a failure to meet legal requirements. This decision was challenged and subsequently upheld by the Peshawar High Court.

In April, the SIC filed a petition with the Supreme Court to overturn the PHC judgment. The Court had earlier suspended the PHC’s decision and ordered that the case be heard by a larger bench due to its constitutional significance.

Following the Court’s ruling, the ECP suspended the victory notifications of 77 members of the national and provincial assemblies, which included members from PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, and other parties. This suspension has diminished the ruling coalition’s majority in the National Assembly, reducing their total seats from 228 to 209 in the 336-seat House.

Implications and Future Outlook

The Supreme Court’s ruling will have far-reaching implications for the allocation of reserved seats among political parties. The key issue before the court was how to allocate these seats when no political party meets the required criteria, and whether a party that did not contest the general elections could still be considered for the reserved seats.

The SIC had argued for a proportionate representation system where the allocation of reserved seats does not depend solely on the results of the general elections, but rather on a broader constitutional interpretation.

As the PTI moves forward from this victory, the political landscape in Pakistan remains charged with anticipation for the next developments in the ongoing political struggle.

Stay tuned to The Wie Pakistan for more updates on this evolving story.