Islamabad( The COW News Digital) Following the Supreme Court’s decision stripping Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its reserved seats, the party has summoned all of its lawmakers to Islamabad for an emergency parliamentary meeting. The leadership plans to take fresh loyalty oaths from both elected and independent members amid rising concerns of defections.
The decision comes as PTI finds itself increasingly vulnerable in legislative assemblies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where opposition parties are now within striking distance of forming a majority. According to party sources, the PTI leadership fears that independent lawmakers, many of whom joined the party after the 2024 general elections, might be lured away by rival political factions.
To counter this, PTI has called a high-level parliamentary meeting scheduled for tomorrow in Islamabad. All National and Provincial Assembly members have been directed to attend. The main agenda includes discussions on the reserved seats verdict, overall political dynamics, and measures to maintain internal cohesion.
One of the key decisions expected from the meeting is the administration of loyalty oaths from all members, reaffirming their commitment not to join any other political party. Notably, PTI had taken similar oaths from its members post-election, but the current legal and political environment has prompted the leadership to repeat the process for added security.
The party is particularly focused on the 35 independent lawmakers in KP who joined PTI’s ranks after winning as independents. These members are now seen as potential swing votes, and PTI’s leadership believes re-administering the oaths will help deter defections.
This move follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that PTI is not entitled to reserved seats after being declared ineligible as a political party for the purposes of seat allocation. The decision has dramatically altered the balance of power in multiple assemblies, especially in KP, where the opposition needs only eight more votes to challenge the ruling bloc.
PTI insiders claim rival parties are actively approaching independents to shift allegiances. The oath-taking strategy is therefore seen as a preemptive measure to protect the party’s fragile position.
As Pakistan’s political landscape continues to shift, the PTI’s internal consolidation efforts reflect the high-stakes maneuvering that could define the coming weeks in national and provincial politics.
