Islamabad [Pakistan], March 4 (ANI): In a major setback for the already embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled that the backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which is backed by Imran Khan-founded party, is “not eligible” for the reserved seats allotted to women and minorities, Geo News reported. The commission’s five-member bench — headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja — announced the split decision with a 4-1 majority.
The remaining 77 reserved seats will now be allotted to other political parties, as reported by Geo News.
The ECP said it extended the deadline to submit a priority list for the reserved seats of women, and the SIC, before the February 8 polls, did not submit the required list, which was “mandatory.”
The electoral body said the SIC cannot claim the share in the reserved seats for women “due to non-curable procedural and legal defects and violations of mandatory provisions of the Constitution.”
Notably, ECP Punjab member Hassan Bharwana dissented with the majority verdict, which was reserved on February 28. In the dissenting note, ECP Punjab chapter member Bharwana said he partially agreed with the majority verdict that the reserved seats cannot be allocated to SIC, as the priority list was not submitted in time.
“However, I have dissenting views with regard to the allocation of seats by way of proportional representation to the other political parties,” Geo News quoted him as saying. Meanwhile, PTI has criticised the ruling and said that it will be challenging the ECP verdict in the higher court. Party leader Shoaib Shaheen said his party will challenge the ECP’s verdict in court. “Neither the ECP’s intention nor its decision is clean,” he told reporters.
However, Shaheen said the PTI also reserved the right to approach the Supreme Court if it did not get relief from the high court. Similarly, PTI Senator Ali Zafar also criticised the ECP’s decision, saying the National Assembly consists of 336 seats — including reserved seats for women, minorities, and general seat, Geo News reported. (ANI)
Pakistan: Bilawal endorses Imran Khan’s party’s call for judicial inquiry into May 9 riots, election irregularities
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 4 (ANI): Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, during his maiden speech in the National Assembly, endorsed the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) demanding a judicial inquiry into the May 9 riots, Dawn reported. Taking to social media platform X, Bilawal stated, “History repeats itself first as a tragedy and then as a farce’ – my maiden speech in 2024 National Assembly.”
He made the remarks in reference to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s recent call for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the violent protests that erupted across the country following PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 last year.
“I call upon the chief justice Supreme Court of Pakistan (Justice Qaez Faiz Isa) to form [a judicial commission] and see who are the beneficiaries [of May 9],” Gandapur had said in a fiery speech after being elected the chief executive of KP. Speaking on the floor of the lower house of Parliament today, Bilawal said he endorsed Gandapur’s demand. But, he also noted that the “result should be accepted by everyone, including the Imran-led party.” “It is not possible that someone attacks our institution and the memorial of our martyrs and we forget it,” the ex-foreign minister said.
“We cannot take our politics forward unless we address this issue and this is why the PPP appeals to the prime minister to form a judicial commission […] Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa should form the commission,” he added.
Bilawal went on to say that an extensive investigation into the May 9 events would bring clarity. “I will call for the punishment [of those proven guilty] and I will call for the release [of those who are innocent].” The PPP leader also extended support to Imran Khan’s party regarding the latter’s demand for a probe into ‘election irregularities‘. In his hour-long speech — which was disrupted by noisy protests from the opposition benches — the PPP leader backed PM Shehbaz Sharif’s call for a charter of national reconciliation, as reported by Dawn.
“Not only do we endorse it but also appeal to our friends from the opposition that they take part in this process,” said Bilawal. He congratulated the newly elected chief ministers of all four provinces and highlighted the need for them to play their role to save Pakistan’s “democracy and economy”. Pointing toward the opposition, he said, “The people of Pakistan are tired of poverty, unemployment and inflation…they did not give you their vote for you to come here and abuse each other and create a ruckus.”
Bilawal further stated that Pakistan was in dire need of judicial and electoral reforms, expressing his party’s willingness to partake in conversations regarding the same.(ANI)
