ISLAMABAD: The PTI submitted the list of candidates for reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly and three provincial assemblies to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday but surprisingly decided to keep the details secret for now.

The submission came a day after the ECP partially implemented the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats for the party, notifying 39 of the 80 returned MNAs as PTI lawmakers after an inordinate delay.

Sources told Dawn that as per the Supreme Court’s order, the PTI had also submitted the signed statements of 41 independent MNAs stating that they had contested the Feb 8 general elections as the PTI candidates. While giving its verdict on Thursday, the ECP submitted a document to the Supreme Court seeking guidance on verifying their affiliation in the absence of the party’s organisational structure.

In a majority verdict, the Supreme Court on July 12 declared the PTI eligible to receive reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the National and provincial assemblies, giving it a new lease of life in the legislature by declaring it a parliamentary party.

Keeps details under wraps amid conflicting statements from party leaders

The judgement explained that 39 out of the 80 MNAs, shown by the ECP as PTI candidates, belonged to the party. The remaining 41 independents would have to file duly signed and notarised statements before the ECP within 15 days, explaining that they contested the general elections as candidates of a particular political party.

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PTI spokesman Shoaib Shaheen confirmed to Dawn that the lists had been submitted to the ECP but said that the lists were currently held by Kanwal Shauzab. Similarly, Aamir Mughal, an office-bearer of PTI’s Islamabad chapter, confirmed the development but was unable to provide the lists.

Interestingly, senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser stated that he was unaware of any lists being submitted to the ECP.

After the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the Peshawar High Court’s judgement depriving the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) of reserved seats for women and minorities, the ECP suspended the victory notifications of as many as 77 members of the National and provincial assemblies elected on these seats.

All these seats will now be given to the PTI. The suspended lawmakers included 22 members of the National Assembly elected on reserved seats. It is not clear how many women and minorities have been nominated by the PTI for these reserved seats as parties generally submit more names than the required in the list in the order of preference.

A source in the PTI claimed that the lists were not released intentionally to avoid potential internal conflict, as there might be resentment from those not included or not given preference on the lists.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2024