ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has suspended the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision denying the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — the new home for PTI legislators-elect — reserved seats for minorities and women.
The new development came as a three-member bench — led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and including Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar — took up an SIC appeal against the Peshawar High Court order.
The SC on Monday took up a petition filed by the SIC against the denial of reserved seats for minorities and women.
The SIC earlier been joined by PTI-backed independent candidates following they won the February 8 polls as their party had been deprived of its symbol ‘bat’.
In a 4-1 decision in March, the Election Commission of Pakistan had also ruled that the SIC was not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats. The ECP had also decided to distribute the seats among other parliamentary parties.
Later while ruling on an SIC appeal, the Peshawar High Court had dismissed an SIC petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision and denied it reserved seats.
In April, the SIC had filed a petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking to set aside the Peshawar High Court judgment.
More to be followed….
