The federal government has urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to dismiss the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) plea for reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.
The Attorney General submitted a detailed response, emphasizing that the SIC did not participate in the recent general elections nor held parliamentary status during the seat allocation period. “Therefore, the SIC does not qualify for reserved seats,” stated the government’s chief legal advisor.
Furthermore, the Attorney General clarified that even if independents join the SIC, this does not entitle the party to reserved seats. He explained that the eligibility for such seats is strictly for parties that participated in the elections and submitted a priority list to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The submission also supports maintaining the ECP’s decision against allocating reserved seats to the SIC. During a related hearing, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa queried the rationale behind Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) alliance with the SIC, hinting at political contradictions.
Chief Justice Isa, presiding over the full bench, also referenced past judicial challenges and the absence of intra-party elections within PTI, led by Imran Khan. He stressed adherence to constitutional mandates concerning reserved seats, suggesting that deviation from the law was unacceptable.
The ECP’s submission highlighted procedural oversights by the SIC, including missing the deadline to submit their list of nominees for reserved seats. Additionally, the ECP, with a majority of 4-1, decided against allocating reserved seats to the SIC after the elections, which the Peshawar High Court upheld.
The ECP also pointed out a constitutional issue within the SIC, noting that its rules prevent non-Muslims from becoming members, which is against constitutional mandates for inclusivity. Thus, the ECP concluded that the SIC is ineligible for reserved seats designated for women and minorities.
