- Five-member larger ECP bench hear pleas, puts off hearing until a later date
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Tuesday opposed allotment of reserve seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) during hearing of six petitions against the allocation of reserved seat to SIC in the Election Commission of Pakistan.
A five-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard six petitions against the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in the Election Commission.
The ECP clubbed all applications against the SIC. Azam Nazir Tarar, Atta Tarar and others appeared on behalf of the PML-N petitioner, Barrister Gohar, Ali Zafar and Babar Awan appeared on behalf of PTI while Farooq H Naik and Farogh Naseem appeared on behalf of the MQM.
During the hearing, Barrister Gohar took the stance that they submitted declarations of 86 people but the Election Commission included 81 in the SIC. Barrister Ali Zafar said that they wanted to get their reserved seats, if other political parties were also interested to get the seats, they should say it openly. The MQM, PML-N and PPP should submit claims for the reserved seats to ECP.
Earlier on Monday, the ECP had decided to hear the matter of allocation of reserved seats to the SIC in the open court. According to sources, an important meeting of the Commission was held on the issue of reserved seats of the SIC. A notice was issued to the head of the SIC.
The three political parties opposed the allocation of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council, citing the party did not win a single seat and got the members after PTI-backed independent candidates joined the party.
During proceedings, PPP’s counsel Farooq H. Naek said it should be clarified first whether the Sunni Ittehad Council has the right to special seats or not, to which Azam Nazir Tarar responded by suggesting allocation of these seats to other parties including the PML-N.
PTI’s counsel, Barrister Ali Zafar stated that it cannot be allowed for anyone to challenge the request from outside. First, decide who the pleader is and why he has come to challenge.
Azam Nazir Tarar argued that the Sunni Ittehad Council did not provide a priority list, so what would happen to those who submitted the request first?. The Election Commission consolidated all requests against the Sunni Ittehad Council and adjourned the hearing until a later date.
