The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday adjourned till tomorrow (Wednesday) hearing on pleas relating to inclusion of PTI-backed independents in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and allotment of reserved seats.
A five-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard six petitions against the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in the Election Commission.
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.
The election commission adjourned the hearing by consolidating all the pleas till tomorrow (Wednesday).
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The ECP has announced its decision on the allotment of reserved seats in the National Assembly, except those for the SIC. But the commission has not allotted the 23 reserved seats, expected to be given to the SIC, to any other political party.
According to the party position, the six-party ruling alliance does not have a two-thirds majority to bring any constitutional amendment. But if the ECP allotted the reserved seats due for the SIC to other political parties then the ruling alliance will have the desired number in the National Assembly.
The SIC approached the ECP on February 21 seeking the allotment of reserved seats.
