SC to be approached if reserved seats not allocated to SIC, says Barrister Ali Zafar

Islamabad:  The concerns and reservations surfaced about the upcoming elections of the president and the prime minister if as the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is yet to receive the reserved seats, the sources close to the development said on Wednesday.

“Failure to allocate the  SIC’s quota of reserved seats could lead to disputed elections,” said Barrister Ali Zafar, a renowned lawyer and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  during his interaction with the reporters.

Ali Zafar said they would approach the Supreme Court and would pursue the legal recourse if any injustice took place.

The SIC also through its lawyer also reaffirmed its historical acceptance of the reserved seats. It highlighted that they have never renounced their entitlement. They challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to provide evidence supporting any claims to the contrary, indicating a lack of communication from the electoral body regarding the matter.

Barrister Gohar stressed the importance of ensuring the full representation of all assembly members for the integrity of the electoral process. He urged the Election Commission to expedite a decision on the issue to maintain transparency and fairness.

The Election Commission of Pakistan, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, convened to address the plea from the Sunni Ittehad Council. However, as of now, the ECP has deferred its decision on the matter.

Zafar also made it clear  that although PTI had initially submitted a list of reserved seat candidates, subsequent developments including the loss of party symbols by some candidates who then contested as independents, necessitated a revised approach.

During the hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar presented arguments asserting PTI's right to reserved seats in the assembly. He explained that PTI-backed independent candidates, upon winning elections, aligned themselves with the SIC and subsequently sought reserved seats, underscoring the importance of upholding their representation in the legislative body.