Pakistan’s Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict on Friday, declaring Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party eligible for reserved seats in parliament. This ruling poses a challenge to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition.
Earlier this year, PTI candidates won 93 seats as independents in the February 8 general elections after the party was barred from contesting. However, the Election Commission ruled they couldn’t claim the 70 reserved seats for women and minorities, which are allocated based on a party’s overall performance in the elections.
In separate judgments in March, both the Election Commission and the Peshawar High Court upheld this decision, dealing a blow to PTI’s prospects and complicating Imran Khan’s political landscape. But the Supreme Court, since last month, had been hearing petitions challenging these rulings.
Today’s ruling annulled the Peshawar High Court’s decision and declared the Election Commission’s ruling unlawful and against Pakistan’s constitution.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, reading the verdict, directed the Election Commission to reevaluate the number of reserved seats PTI is entitled to. PTI leaders, including opposition leader in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz, hailed the decision as historic for Pakistani politics.
The court emphasized that PTI has always been a legitimate political party, dismissing the notion that candidates were merely independents. It granted PTI 15 days to submit a list of candidates eligible for reserved seats.
Government officials, while awaiting the detailed judgment, noted the court’s decision amid concerns and uncertainties. PTI, meanwhile, asserted that its candidates across various assemblies are entitled to proportional representation in reserved seats.
This ruling complicates Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition, formed after the February elections resulted in a hung parliament. His Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) together formed a majority but now face potential challenges with PTI’s strengthened position.
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