'Surprised' over SC verdict, Nawaz 'summons' top PML-N leaders meeting

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has convened a meeting of senior party leaders to discuss the strategy and make "major" decisions in the light of "shock" ruling by the Supreme Court declaring Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) eligible for the reserved seats.

The development reported by sources comes as the pressure builds on the ruling coalition after Friday's verdict is expected to strengthen the Imran Khan-founded party's position in parliament with the ruling parties losing two-thirds majority in National Assembly.

PML-N's political rival PTI was kicked out of the February 8 polls owing to the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) December 2023 ruling upheld by the Supreme Court, which declared the party's internal polls illegal, subsequently barring it from keeping its iconic electoral symbol "bat".

This led to the PTI candidates' to contest the polls as independents and later the victorious candidates joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in a bid to get reserved seats for women and minorities.

However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Peshawar High Court (PHC) denied the party reserved seats citing its inability to submit list for the reserved seats.

However, after a long legal battle, the former ruling party finally succeeded in overturning the electoral body's decision against allocation of reserved seats to the PTI-backed SIC members of assemblies.

The 8-5 majority verdict by an apex court full bench nullified the PHC March 25 order wherein it had upheld the ECP's decision denying the reserved seats to the SIC.

Though the verdict was slammed by the PML-N leaders and ministers, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said it does not pose any threat to the incumbent coalition government as "we still have a majority of 209 members".

Now, the PML-N-led government is weighing in on the "surprise" verdict and mulling options that include going into appeal against the verdict.

Sources said that the veteran politician on Saturday held a meeting with PML-N's senior leadership and held a consultation on the SC ruling.

They said that Nawaz also expressed "surprise" on it and summoned the party's central leaders, including his daughter Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to Murree for another meeting.

As per sources privy to the matter, crucial decisions are expected in the upcoming meeting at the hill station.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif while addressing the media in Sialkot, said that the Supreme Court verdict "violated various sections of the Constitution".

"Better verdicts are those which are fathomable for everyone," the minister said.

He further stated that the parliament will decide on Monday whether the incumbent government will file a review plea against the SC ruling or not.

Following the D-Day in the aftermath of the top court judgment, the PTI is expected to emerge as the single largest party in the National Assembly as its numbers in the legislature are likely to soar to 109 following the potential allocation of reserved seats.

With the majority seats of the PTI in the lower house of the legislature, the ruling coalition led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will continue to occupy the simple majority with the strength of 209 members. The PML-N has a total of 108 members.

The opposition alliance in the National Assembly will surge to a strength of 120 after the PTI gains 23 reserved seats. Currently, the combined opposition, including the PTI, has 97 members. At present, the PTI has 86 members in the lower house, with 84 on board with the Suni Ittehad Council (SIC) and two independents — Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Omar Ayub Khan.

Additionally, there are 68 members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the NA and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has eight members while BNP-Mengal, MWM and PkMAP have one each in the lower house.

Meanwhile, the MQM-P has 21 members in the National Assembly and a minority seat remains suspended.