Pakistan Supreme Court Grills PTI Over Reserved Seats

Islamabad, June 24, 2024 – The Supreme Court of Pakistan heard a case regarding reserved seats for the Senate, with Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa questioning why independent candidates did not join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The Chief Justice noted that despite not having an election symbol, PTI was still a recognized political party.

The Sindh United Council\’s lawyer, Faisal Siddiqui, argued that the Election Commission had misinterpreted the Constitution and ignored provisions related to reserved seats. Siddiqui maintained that independent candidates could join any political party, but the Election Commission\’s interpretation prevented this.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that reserved seats are allocated based on the number of seats won by a party, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail emphasized that independent candidates have the option to join a party, but it is not mandatory.

The Chief Justice asked the lawyer to explain the constitutional interpretation, emphasizing that the court is bound by the Constitution, not the Election Commission\’s interpretation. The lawyer argued that the Election Commission\’s interpretation was incorrect and that reserved seats could not be allocated to a party that did not participate in the elections.

The hearing was adjourned until next week, with the court seeking further arguments on the matter. The case has significant implications for the allocation of reserved seats in the Senate and the role of independent candidates in Pakistani politics.