ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday petitioned the Supreme Court to ensure the implementation of its July 12 judgement regarding reserved seats, urging the court to dismiss the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) request to revisit the decision. The petition, filed by senior counsel Uzair Karamat Bhandari on behalf of PTI’s Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, argues that the ECP’s plea is merely an attempt to delay the enforcement of the court’s short order.
On August 7, the ECP had requested the Supreme Court to revisit the July 12 judgement, contending that the court granted relief to PTI when neither it nor its candidates had approached the commission, Peshawar High Court, or the Supreme Court to claim reserved seats for women or non-Muslims. Additionally, the PML-N and PPP had previously filed separate petitions seeking a review of the same judgement.
The PTI’s petition claims that the ECP’s application is made with mala fide intent, aimed at denying PTI its rightful share of reserved seats in parliament as dictated by the court’s July 12 short order. PTI asserts that it has complied with all legal requirements, including conducting intra-party elections and submitting necessary documentation to the ECP under Section 209 of the Elections Act 2017.
The petition also challenges the ECP’s assertion that PTI lacks an organisational structure capable of providing the requisite confirmation of affiliation. It highlights that the ECP has communicated with PTI officials, including Barrister Gohar Khan, whom the ECP referred to as the party’s chairman. The petition underscores that both Barrister Gohar Khan, as chairman, and Omar Ayub Khan, as general secretary, have signed the necessary confirmations of affiliation for PTI’s returned candidates.
PTI argues that since the affiliations have been signed by its duly elected chairman and general secretary, the ECP is legally bound to accept them as valid, citing the 1999 Bahadur Khan Bangulzai case as precedent. The petition calls on the Supreme Court to direct the ECP to accept these confirmations and to enforce the court’s July 12 short order.
CJP’s Appointment
In a separate development, PTI Senator Azam Swati visited the Supreme Court on Monday to inquire about the status of PTI’s reference against Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja. Swati claimed he was denied access to the office of the registrar, who serves as the secretary of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). Swati accused the CEC of depriving PTI of its rights and demanded the immediate issuance of the notification elevating senior puisne judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah as the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). He noted that Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s notification as CJP was issued four months prior to his elevation and urged similar expediency in Justice Shah’s case.
