The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will implement the order of the Supreme Court on allotting reserved seats to imprisoned ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, a media report said on Saturday.
With this latest development, the PTI party is all set to become the largest party in the Parliament of Pakistan.
Recently, in a key 8-5 judgment, a 13-member full bench of the apex court ruled that Khan’s PTI party was qualified for the seats reserved for women and minorities in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
In the National Assembly, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will become the largest party as its seats will increase from 86 to 109 after it gains 23 seats reserved for females and minorities.
On Friday, in a statement, the ECP said the decision to implement the SC’s order was accepted after the electoral body held two meetings on Thursday and Friday to deliberate on the reserved seats case verdict, reported Geo News.
The ECP strongly condemned and rejected the unnecessary criticism of the chief election commissioner and honourable members by a political party, it said, in a veiled remark against Khan’s PTI party.
“The commission will not succumb to any kind of pressure and will continue to work according to the constitution and law,” the ECP statement said.
The PTI party and its founder Khan (71), have repeatedly reiterated its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members.
After the July 12 ruling of the apex court that ruled that the party was eligible for the seats reserved for women and minorities, the PTI raised its demand again.