The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday notified 39 MNAs a returned candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in light of Supreme Court orders in the reserved seats case.
Earlier this month, a majority verdict of the full court of the apex court had dismissed a plea filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) seeking its share in reserved seats and declared that returned candidates who had joined the SIC after the general elections were in fact members of the PTI. In its ruling the Supreme Court had declared that 39 lawmakers who had submitted their party affiliation with the PTI in their nomination papers would be considered PTI candidates, while 41 candidates who had not submitted any affiliation would have 15 days to declare themselves members of the party.
“In pursuance of the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan dated July 12, 2024 … the following returned candidates against general seats of National Assembly are declared to have been returned as candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),” read the ECP’s notification.
The listed candidates are Amjad Ali Khan; Saleem Rehman; Sohail Sultan; Muhammad Bashir Khan; Mehboob Shah; Junaid Akbar; Ali Khan Jadoon; Asad Qaiser; Shahram Khan; Mujahid Ali; Anwar Taj; Fazal Muhammad Khan; Arbab Amir Ayub; Shandana Gulzar Khan; Sher Ali Arbab; Asif Khan; Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah; Shahid Khan; Nasim Ali Shah; Sher Afzal Khan; Usama Ahmed Mela; Shafqat Abbas; Ali Afzal Sahi; Rai Haider Ali Khan; Nisar Ahmed; Rana Atif; Changaze Ahmad Khan; Muhammad Ali Sarfraz; Khurram Shahzad Virk; Latif Khan Khosa; Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan; Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar; Zain Qureshi; Rana Muhammad Faraz Noon; Mumtaz Mustafa; Shabbir Qureshi; Umber Majeed; Awais Haider Jakhar; and Zartaj Gul.
The last day for the remaining 41 candidates to declare their party affiliations expires this week, though it remains unclear when they would be notified or how many have affirmed their membership of the PTI.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has triggered controversy, with critics claiming it seeks to “rewrite” the Constitution, as it grants 15 days for returned candidates to join a party, while the law only permits 3 days for the same. Both the PPP and PMLN have filed review petitions against the ruling, arguing that it violates the Constitution and facilitates the PTI despite the party not being part of the reserved seats case.