Reserved seats: CEC reminds PTI counsel of own argument in SC

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said on Wednesday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) lawyer had himself stated in the apex court that the party would not get reserved seats if it loses its electoral symbol.  The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was conducting a hearing today on applications regarding the allotment of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) - the party where most of PTI-aligned independent lawmakers have taken refuge after the PTI lost its electoral symbol prior to the February 8 elections.  PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, lawyer Ali Zafar, and SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza appeared before the electoral watchdog. Zafar objected and said the ECP decided on Tuesday to notices to all parliamentary parties, to which the CEC replied that the watchdog had "not called all the parties, but only those who are entitled to special seats". "All parties are not mentioned in the case. Four petitions of the SIC are before the ECP and the commission has kept our pleas pending, so other parties can submit their petitions and only then were our pleas fixed for hearing," said Zafar.  He added that after the PTI's electoral symbol was withdrawn, the ECP had assured the party that it could still get reserve seats if the candidates joined another party. Read: SIC’s reserved seat claim challenged The PTI lawyer further argued that the ECP's counsel assured during the hearing at the apex court that the allotment of reserved seats would not be affected if the party lost its symbol. “But now our fears and predictions have been proved right.” Member Ikramullah asked Zafar, “Did the party you are referring to, participate in the elections?” Zafar replied that if the PTI is not a party, why does its symbol still exist on the ECP's list. Member Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa asked Zafar if they wanted the ECP to "cancel the registration of the party as well”. “Of course, it can be cancelled, but the process will have to be followed, SIC is a political party that has a symbol allotted by the ECP," retorted Zafar. 

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