Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Syed Muhammad Atique Shah on Sunday designated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath to members on reserved seats in the provincial assembly. This decision came after the Speaker adjourned the session due to a lack of quorum.
This development followed hours after opposition MPAs filed a petition with the PHC, urging the Chief Justice to nominate an authority to oversee the oath-taking process without further delay.
Taking to X, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi announced that, in compliance with the court’s order, he would administer the oath to the MPAs at 6 PM today (Sunday) at his official residence in Peshawar.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly session was adjourned shortly after its commencement due to a lack of quorum, as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers notably abstained from the crucial sitting earlier today. KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, who began proceedings over two hours late, adjourned the session when PTI MPA Sher Ali Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum. The chair then ordered a headcount and a five-minute break before ultimately adjourning the session until July 24.
The decision by PTI to skip the assembly session stemmed from a prior parliamentary party meeting of the PTI KP chapter, which decided on a boycott.
As many as 21 women and four minority members are slated to take their oath as members of the KP Assembly on reserved seats.
As proceedings began today, opposition MPAs criticized the interruption during the Quranic recitation, with a PML-N MPA stating, “You cannot point out quorum during the recitation.” She added, “Mr speaker, this is not the right way… we’ve been denied our right to take the oath for two years.”
Leader of the Opposition in KP Assembly Dr. Ibadullah Khan also expressed dissatisfaction with the Speaker’s action, warning that the opposition would pursue legal action. “We’ll go to court and request the chief justice to intervene,” he stated. “If the oath isn’t taken now, it should at least happen later this evening.” He further emphasized the opposition’s commitment to preserving the remaining political space and preventing its erosion.
Senate Polls Following the PHC directives, a spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) confirmed that the Senate polls in KP will take place at 11 AM in the Jirga Hall. The swearing-in is a vital procedural requirement to complete the electoral college for the upcoming Senate elections.
The ECP spokesperson added that elected members on reserved seats for women and minorities in the provincial assembly had not taken their oath on Sunday, prompting the ECP to formally request the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court to nominate a suitable individual for administering the oath.
In anticipation of Monday’s proceedings, the ECP has directed the Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chief Secretary, and the Inspector General Frontier Constabulary to ensure foolproof security arrangements. The commission underscored that a secure and uninterrupted environment is essential for the smooth conduct of the electoral process.
PTI Disgruntled Members This recent development comes amid escalating internal differences within the PTI concerning Senate ticket distribution. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and the party’s political committee have been unsuccessful in appeasing the disgruntled members.
The first round of negotiations, held in Peshawar a day earlier, concluded without consensus as five covering candidates refused to withdraw from the race. They rejected the party leadership’s directive to step aside under a 6-5 formula, which allocates six Senate seats to the PTI and five to opposition parties.
The dissidents demanded that one seat each from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) be reclaimed before they would consider withdrawing. A second meeting between the chief minister and the same dissident candidates later the same night also failed to yield an agreement.
A total of five candidates have steadfastly refused to withdraw their papers from the polls scheduled for Monday. Among these candidates, Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zeeshan, and Waqas Orakzai are vying for a general seat. Former Additional Inspector General of Police Syed Irshad Hussain is a candidate for the seat reserved for technocrats, and Ayesha Bano is a candidate for the reserved seats for women.
The opposition’s nominees include Talha Mahmood, Atta-ul-Haq Dervish, Rubina Khalid, Dilawar Khan, and Niaz Ahmad.
Insiders confirmed that the chief minister had instructed the group to withdraw unconditionally, but they remained defiant. The standoff escalated when former PTI Peshawar City President Rehman Jalal addressed a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, warning the leadership to revise the ticket list or face street protests.
A significant number of party workers have staged protests and launched aggressive social media campaigns, particularly in support of three loyal workers: Khurram Zeeshan Advocate, Irfan Saleem, and Ayesha Bano. They have demanded that the senior leadership nominate Irfan Saleem as the main contender for the Upper House. Irfan is currently the PTI Peshawar district president and an active party member. Ayesha Bano is a former MPA and vice president of the party in KP.
Khurram Zeeshan, a former civil judge and practicing lawyer, secured bail for hundreds of party workers by appearing in court on their behalf in the May 9 cases. He currently serves as the deputy information secretary of the PTI KP.
This internal rebellion has cast serious doubt on the feasibility of holding unopposed Senate elections in KP, despite the government-opposition formula agreed upon earlier this week. Under this agreement, PTI is set to secure six seats, while the opposition would take five.
