Islamabad, September 20, 2024- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members in the National Assembly have officially been reclassified as representatives of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), according to a new party position list released by the National Assembly Secretariat. PTI, once a significant political force, no longer holds representation in the Assembly, with all 80 of its former members now affiliated with SIC following the enactment of the new Election Act.
Previously, PTI had 39 members, while 41 were independents. However, the revised list confirms all 80 members are now part of SIC. The updated party positions also reflect the current standings of other major parties: PML-N holds 110 seats, PPP 69 seats, JUI 22 seats, MQM 22 seats, Q League 5 seats, and IPP 4 seats. Additionally, there are 8 independent members, with smaller parties such as PKMAP, BNP Mengal, and MWM each holding one seat. One independent member has also joined PML-N.
The new Election Act has also adjusted the distribution of reserved seats. PML-N has been allocated 23 reserved seats, PPP 5 seats, and JUI 3 seats.
NA Speaker’s Letter to the Election Commission
Earlier, Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, wrote to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), requesting that no reserved seats be allocated to PTI, asserting that the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding PTI’s reserved seats is now “incapable of implementation” following amendments to the Election Act of 2017.
In his letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decision was based on laws that existed prior to the amendments. The new legislation, he argued, makes it impossible for independent candidates who have already joined a political party to switch parties, as their initial declaration of political affiliation is now irrevocable under the amended law.
Supreme Court Verdict
In a surprising twist, a 13-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, ruled in favor of PTI, allowing it to retain its reserved seats, delivering a major setback to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah announced the 8-5 majority decision, overturning a Peshawar High Court ruling that had supported the Election Commission’s denial of PTI’s reserved seats.
However, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, along with four other justices, opposed the majority decision. This ruling has added a layer of complexity to the political landscape, particularly in light of the recent Election Act amendments that fundamentally alter party alignments and candidate affiliation protocols in the National Assembly.
