The PML-N has emerged as the largest political party in the National Assembly, with its number of MNAs increasing by 16 to reach 123 after the distribution of reserved seats. These reserved seats, denied to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), were distributed among three political parties.
Initially securing 75 general seats and being joined by nine independents, the PML-N’s tally reached 107 with the allocation of 19 reserved seats for women and four for minorities. Following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision on the SIC’s ineligibility for reserved seats, the PML-N was awarded 15 of the remaining 20 reserved seats for women and one out of three for minorities, bringing their total to 123 seats.
The PPP’s seat count has increased to 73 from 68, initially winning 54 general seats and receiving 12 reserved seats for minorities and two for women. After the allocation of four more seats for women and one for minorities, the PPP’s lawmakers now number 73, still fewer than the PTI-backed independents who joined the SIC hoping for reserved seats.
The MQM-Pakistan has 22 members in the National Assembly, while the JUI-F lawmakers have increased from seven to 11. PML-Q has five, and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party has four MNAs.
Various other parties, including PML-Zia, Balochistan Awami Party, Balochistan National Party (Mengal), National Party, and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, have one member each in the National Assembly. Additionally, out of the 99 independents who won elections, nine did not join any party.
Notably, the Feb 8 elections did not occur in one National Assembly constituency, and the result of one constituency has been withheld.
In Punjab, the three remaining reserved seats for women in the National Assembly have been distributed, with two going to PPP and one to PML-N. Samina Khalid Ghurki and Natasha Daultana of PPP, along with Tamkeen Akhtar Niazi, have been notified as winners.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly witnessed an intriguing distribution of reserved seats. Despite PTI-backed independents winning 91 seats compared to the combined 19 seats secured by all other parties, the JUI-F, with only seven general seats, received 10 reserved seats for women. Similarly, PML-N and PPP, with six and four general seats respectively, were allocated eight and six reserved seats in the provincial assembly. ANP and PTI-P, each clinching one general seat, also saw their numbers double in the assembly.
In another development, the Election Commission of Pakistan uploaded key post-election documents, including Forms 45, 46, 48, and 49, on its website after a month of delay, sparking public concern over the alleged delay in releasing crucial electoral documents and accusations of vote rigging and result manipulation. According to the law, these documents were supposed to be released within 14 days after the elections.
