PTI loses claim to reserved seats, rules SC

(Web Desk): In a major blow to Imran Khan’s PTI, the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench on Friday ruled the party is not entitled to women and minority reserved seats in national and provincial assemblies.

The judgment was announced by a 10-member bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan on Friday.

Announcing the short ruling, Justice Aminuddin Khan said, “Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Mussarat Hilali, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi all review petitions are allowed and impugn majority judgement dated July 12, 2024 is set aside as a consequence thereof civil appeals … filed by SIC are dismissed and judgement rendered by the PHC is restored.”

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and the Election Commission of Pakistan have filed review petitions against last year's Supreme Court July 12, 2024 ruling that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the SC's full bench announced the 8-5 majority verdict, nullifying the Peshawar High Court's (PHC) order wherein it had upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision denying the reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

In its July 12 verdict, eight out of 13 judges ruled that 39 out of a list of 80 MNAs were and are the returned candidates of the PTI.

This is a developing story....