PTI moves to SC to become party in reserved seats case

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court to become a party in the reserved seats case.

The plea to join the full court hearing was filed by PTI and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, arguing that PTI should be made a party in the Sunni Ittehad Council case.

The PTI said that during the appeals hearing, the Election Commission made allegations against it, which are contrary to the facts.

The  PTI contended that PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council were deprived of reserved seats, which the Election Commission allocated to other political parties. The Sunni Ittehad Council and PTI are both eligible for reserved seats.

It argued that awarding the reserved seats to other political parties is unconstitutional. The Sunni Ittehad Council is prepared to submit a list for the reserved seats, but PTI was not permitted to do so.

The PTI also submitted that distributing the seats of PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council among other political parties would be against the will of the people. The PTI-supported candidates did not wish to become part of the other 13 political parties.

It also highlighted that there is an alliance between the Sunni Ittehad Council and PTI.

The chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council was supported by PTI and Hamid Raza won from constituency 104.

“Article 51 does not clarify that independent candidates must merge with political parties winning more than one seat,” it added.