ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted its list of candidates for reserved seats to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The list features prominent names such as Sanam Javaid, Aliya Hamza Malik, and Yasmin Rashid for seats reserved for women and minorities.
This submission follows a July 12 ruling by the Supreme Court, which allowed PTI to claim reserved seats in the assemblies. The ruling directs PTI to submit a list of eligible candidates within 15 days and mandates the ECP to publish the list on its website within seven days.
In compliance with this order, PTI has provided the ECP with its list of candidates for reserved seats in the National Assembly, Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. The list includes 67 candidates for women’s seats and 11 for minority seats. Notable names for National Assembly seats include Javaid, Hamza, Kanwal Shauzab, Rubina Shaheen, and Seemabia Tahir. Lal Chand Malhi is nominated for a minority seat in the National Assembly, and Dr. Yasmin Rashid is selected for a reserved women’s seat in the Punjab Assembly.
Previously, the ECP recognized 39 PTI lawmakers, who had contested as independents and later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), as PTI members, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
Earlier this week, PTI submitted documents affirming its party affiliation to the ECP to secure the reserved seats. Despite having contested the February 8 elections as independents due to losing their election symbol, PTI’s candidates were instructed to join SIC to qualify for the reserved seats.
The SIC had petitioned the Supreme Court to grant PTI reserved seats, which led to the favorable ruling on July 12. However, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have since filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court’s decision.
