Islamabad [Pakistan], July 27 : The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted the list of candidates for reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly and three provincial assemblies to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday. However, the party has not disclosed details regarding the candidates, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
The PTI submitted the list to the electoral watchdog a day after the ECP partially implemented the Supreme Court's verdict on reserved seats for the party, notifying 39 of the 80 returned MNAs as PTI lawmakers after an inordinate delay.
As per the apex court's order, the PTI had also submitted the signed statements of 41 independent MNAs stating that they had contested the general elections on February 8 as the PTI candidates, Dawn reported, citing sources. While announcing its verdict on Thursday, the electoral watchdog submitted a document to the apex court seeking guidance on verifying their affiliation in the absence of the party's organisational structure.
On July 12, the Pakistan Supreme Court declared the PTI eligible to receive reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the National and provincial assemblies, giving it a new lease of life in the legislature by declaring it a parliamentary party, Dawn reported.
According to the judgement, 39 out of the 80 MNAs, shown by the ECP as PTI candidates, belonged to the party. The remaining 41 independents would have to file duly signed and notarised statements before the electoral watchdog within 15 days, explaining that they fought the general elections as candidates of a particular political party.
According to Dawn report, PTI spokesman Shoaib Shaheen said that the lists had been submitted to the ECP. However, he said that the lists were currently held by Kanwal Shauzab. Similarly, an office bearer of PTI's Islamabad chapter, Aamir Mughal, said he was unable to provide the names of the members.
Senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser stated that he was not aware of any lists being given to the ECP. After the apex court decided to suspend the Peshawar High Court's decision depriving the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) of reserved seats for women and minorities, the ECP suspended the victory notifications of 77 members of the National and provincial assemblies elected on these seats.
All these seats will now be given to PTI. The lawmakers who have been suspended include 22 members of the National Assembly elected on reserved seats. It is not clear on the number of women and minorities nominated by the PTI for these reserved seats as parties give more names than the required in the list in the order of preference.
According to Dawn report, a source in the PTI said that the details regarding the list have not been released intentionally to avoid potential internal conflict, as there might be resentment from those not included or not given preference on the lists.
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