• Commission ‘reluctantly’ notifies 39 MNAs as ‘PTI lawmakers’; seeks SC help on remaining 41 independents
• Barrister Gohar insists they will emerge as largest party in both houses of parliament

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has partially implemented the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats for PTI, notifying 39 of the 80 returned MNAs as PTI lawmakers, after an inordinate delay.

For the remaining 41 lawmakers, 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 unique 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. Despite an 8-5 split, all 13 judges declared the PTI a parliamentary party.

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 Election Commission within 15 days, explaining that they contested the Feb 8 general elections as candidates of a particular political party.

A senior ECP official told Dawn that 37 of these 41 independents had submitted the required documents. Asked to explain the guidance the commission needs to seek from the Supreme Court, he said that PTI’s failure to conduct intra-party elections resulted in the loss of its party structure.

Consequently, the ECP invalidated the party’s internal elections, resulting in the loss of PTI’s election symbol — a decision later upheld by the Supreme Court.

When asked about the issuance of notifications for the 39 members despite PTI’s legal status issues, the ECP official said verification from the party was required for the 41 members. “In the absence of an organisational structure, who should we write to for confirmation of party certificates?” he asked.

The notified 39 PTI lawmakers include Amjad Ali Khan, Saleem Rehman, Sohail Sultan, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Mehboob Shah, Junaid Akbar, Ali Khan Jadoon, Asad Qaiser, Shahram Khan, Mujahid Al, Anwar Taj, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Arbab Amir Ayub, Shandana Gulzar Khan, Sher Ali Arbab, Asif Khan, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Shahid Khan, Nasim Ali Shah, Sher Afzal Khan, Usama Ahmed Mela, Shafqat Abbas, Ali Afzal Sahi, Rai Haider Ali Khan, Nisar Ahmed, Rana Atif, Changaze Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, Khurram Shahzad Virk, Sardar Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi, Rana Muhammad Faraz Noon, Mumtaz Mustafa, Muhammad Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Umber Majeed, Awais Haider Jakhar, and Zartaj Gul.

‘PTI a parliamentary party’

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the partial implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgement has reestablished PTI as a parliamentary party in the National Assembly.

He said PTI has completed the verification process for its members in the provincial assemblies. Once the Supreme Court’s judgement is fully implemented and reserved seats are allocated, PTI would emerge as the largest party in both houses of parliament, in addition to holding significant strength in provincial legislatures, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2024