The Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) has submitted a written response to the Supreme Court regarding the reserved seats case, arguing that the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) should not gain entry into assemblies through alternative means. The AGP’s 30-page submission to the 13-member full court urges dismissal of the SIC’s appeal for reserved seats, supporting the Peshawar High Court’s decision.
Explaining the allocation process, the AGP emphasized that reserved seats for minorities and women should be allocated to political parties that contested and won seats, submitting a list of candidates accordingly. Independent candidates can only qualify for reserved seats by joining a political party within three days of the election results being published.
The AGP criticized the SIC for not participating in the elections as a party or submitting candidate lists for reserved seats, citing legal provisions under the Election Act, 2017. Allowing the SIC’s appeal, the AGP warned, would undermine democracy and weaken participating political parties.
In a separate development, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sought to intervene in the case, disputing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s handling of reserved seats, alleging unfair treatment towards PTI and SIC candidates despite eligibility.
The dispute centers on PTI-backed independent candidates who joined SIC after winning seats, seeking reserved seats for minorities and women, a move contested by the ECP and upheld by the PHC. The matter is now before the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation.
