The KP Food Minister states that the assembly session will not take place today. He claims the KP Governor has taken an “illegal step” by summoning the session. Meanwhile, the PPP encourages the KP Assembly Speaker to administer the oath to the lawmakers.
On Friday, Faisal Karim Kundi, the Central Information Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), announced that opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa intend to seek assistance from the appropriate court and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in order to convene a session of the provincial assembly.
Following this event, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru announced that the KP Assembly session would not take place today. This decision was made due to KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali’s allegedly “illegal” action of calling for a session. Toru mentioned that they have sought advice from the law department concerning this issue, but have not received a response as of now.
Kundi stated during a press conference in Islamabad that his party had composed a letter to the KP Assembly speaker, which subsequently led the governor to request a session’s convening. He emphasized that the governor should not join the opposition and if Governor Ali is unaware of his authority, he should step down from his position.
The individual mentioned, “He is concerned about the designated seats being allocated to the opposing group.” In response, the PPP leader urged the KP Assembly speaker to swear in the victorious individuals from the reserved seats. Furthermore, he suggested that the parties should voice their apprehensions regarding the elections in appropriate platforms.
Today, the KP Governor convened an assembly session upon request from opposition parties. The purpose was for members-elect representing women and minority reserved seats to be sworn in as provincial assembly members.
In response, the ruling party reached out to the law department for their input and also filed a court case against a notification pertaining to MPAs from opposition parties occupying all reserved seats.
The swearing-in of KP Assembly members designated for reserved seats has gained significant importance for both the ruling and opposition parties. This event will significantly impact the upcoming Senate elections on April 2, which aim to fill 11 seats from the province.
The Sunni Ittehad Council, holding a significant majority in the assembly, is considering postponing the oath-taking ceremony until after the Senate elections. Given the current composition of the legislative body, the ruling party is expected to secure victories in the majority of Senate seats across all categories. The party has already submitted nominations for five general candidates, as well as two nominees each for the reserved seats for women and technocrats.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties are pushing for the 24 MPAs elected on reserved seats to take an oath prior to the Senate elections, in order to secure the necessary number of seats in the upper house of the legislature.
