PTI cries foul as 4 MNAs elected on reserved seats sworn in

Omar Ayub strongly condemns oath-taking, labeling it unconstitutional and contempt of court

Tensions flared in the National Assembly on Friday as the Pakistan Threek-e-Insaf (PTI), the opposition party, staged a protest during the oath-taking ceremony of four lawmakers elected on reserved seats. The episode unfolded during the assembly session chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

The PTI's objections were raised when Shahid Khattak, a member of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) – a party comprising PTI lawmakers – identified lack of quorum, prompting the speaker to direct a headcount of assembly members.

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Despite the protest, the four newly elected members on reserved seats proceeded to take their oaths, administered by Speaker Sadiq. Opposition members, however, voiced their disapproval by standing on their seats during the ceremony.

Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan strongly condemned the oath-taking, labeling it as unconstitutional and contempt of court. He asserted, "We condemn those who are forced upon us through ‘Form-47 elections’ and will continue to do so until our full 180 members arrive at the assembly." Ayub also criticised the timing, noting that on International Women's Day, unconstitutional oaths were taken, and women's reserved seats were allegedly "robbed."

Also read: Punjab Assembly members take oath on reserved seats

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, another PTI leader, echoed these sentiments, arguing that PTI's members in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies joined the SIC, expecting reserved seats based on their quota. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision on March 1 was later stayed by the Peshawar High Court, making today’s oath-taking unlawful.

Speaker Sadiq countered, stating that no official orders had been received from the ECP or the Peshawar High Court on the matter. The Attorney General for Pakistan clarified that members from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were not part of the oath-taking due to the Peshawar High Court's stay order.

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He said that this matter went to different high courts of the country. He said the Lahore High Court has not given any decision regarding not taking oath, adding that the decision of Peshawar High Court does not apply to Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.

The smoking of a member inside the Assembly Hall added another layer of controversy. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed his displeasure, marking it as the first such incident in the country's history.

Amidst the chaos, a resolution regarding International Women's Day was approved by a majority vote. The National Assembly session was adjourned until 2 pm on March 13, leaving the contentious issue of reserved seats and the ongoing legal challenges to be addressed in the days to come.