Today, Pakistan’s Supreme Court made a big decision that helps Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The court ruled that the PTI party should receive 77 more seats reserved for women and minorities. This gives PTI more power in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies, making it harder for the current government to pass new laws.
In a significant ruling, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has decided that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is eligible for reserved seats in parliament. Moreover, this decision pressures the current ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) banned PTI from participating in the February 8 general elections, forcing PTI candidates to run as independents. Despite winning the most seats (93), the ECP decided not to allocate PTI their share of 70 reserved seats for women and minorities. Instead, the ECP gave these seats to other parties in the ruling coalition.
In Pakistan, parliament reserves 70 seats: 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims. The distribution of these seats depends on the number of general seats each party wins. Meanwhile, a simple majority in the 336-seat National Assembly requires 169 seats.
Previously, the ECP and Peshawar High Court ruled that independents were not eligible for these reserved seats, which was a setback for PTI. However, the Supreme Court has now overturned these rulings.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa declared that the PTI is eligible for the reserved seats. This means that PTI will now get around 23 reserved seats. While this does not change the ruling coalition’s majority, it strengthens PTI’s position and supports their claims of electoral fraud.
Morale Of the Party Boosts
PTI’s leader in the Senate, Syed Shibli Faraz, called this a “historic” day for Pakistani politics and congratulated the people and Imran Khan.
“This is what we have been saying, that we were robbed of our right,” said PTI chairman Gohar Khan, adding that the party which some people had wished to eliminate has been revived.
The court has given PTI 15 days to submit its list of candidates for the reserved seats to the Election Commission.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the government will wait for the detailed judgment before deciding on its next steps.
The judgment effectively denies a two-thirds majority to the ruling coalition that it was hoping for, said Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, the president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency think tank.
“It will boost the morale of PTI workers and they may be in a better position to launch a movement if the party so decides,” he said.
