ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reacted to the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling on the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) appeal, which declared Imran Khan-founded PTI eligible for seats reserved for women and minorities.
The ECP clarified that it has always recognized PTI as a political party, listing it as such on its website.
The commission emphasized that it did not misinterpret any decision and explained that PTI's bat symbol was removed because the party's intra-party elections were not recognized.
The ECP stated that the individuals declared as PTI MNAs did not disclose their party affiliation in the required documents, highlighting that possessing a party ticket and declaration is essential for becoming a party candidate.
As a result, the Returning Officers (ROs) could not recognize these individuals as PTI candidates. The ECP found it perplexing that specific seats were being allocated to PTI.
The commission also noted that 41 candidates given independent status did not submit any party affiliations, party tickets, or declarations, and thus could not be considered as party candidates.
A 13-member SC bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, ruled in favor of PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats, a significant blow to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah delivered the 8-5 majority verdict, overturning the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision that upheld the ECP’s denial of reserved seats to the SIC. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justices Jamal Mandokhail, Naeem Afghan, Yahya Afridi, and Ameenuddin Khan dissented.
