SC reserved seats verdict: PM 'starts' consultations with allies

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has commenced discussions with allied parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), regarding the Supreme Court's decision on reserved seats, sources told Geo News on Friday.

According to the sources, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to take its main ally, PPP, into confidence. The talks will take place at the President's House this afternoon.

The leadership of both the political parties will meet today, said the sources, adding that the meeting will also be attending by President Asif Ali Zardari.

The sources revealed that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar will attend the meeting on behalf of the PML-N.

Meanwhile, Irfan Qadir, Ahad Cheema, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq will also participate in the talks, they added.

From PPP's side, Farook H Naek, Sherry Rehman and Nayyar Bokhari will participate in the talks, claimed the sources. Attorney General Mansoor Awan will give a briefing to President Zardari and other members.

The development comes a week after the top court ruled that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was eligible for the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the SC's full bench announced the 8-5 majority verdict, nullifying the Peshawar High Court's (PHC) order wherein it had upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision denying the reserved seats to the SIC.

Following the verdict, the PML-N on Monday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its verdict. It nominated 11 respondents in the plea including the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and its chairman Hamid Raza, praying the court to suspend its ruling dated July 12, 2024, on the reserved seats.

The review petition asked a number of questions including whether the SIC should be granted the reserved seats.

It questioned if reserved seats could be granted to a political party who had not submitted a party list within the prescribed time, whether a political party can be given reserved seats whose candidates have not even filed nomination papers within the time provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan and if independents could even join a political party which did not win a single general seat in parliament.

The plea also raised question if the seats could be left vacant or have to be distributed amongst the political parties contesting for the said seats.