Law Minister Tarar says SC verdict on reserved seats poses no threat to coalition govt

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan's verdict that favoured the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the reserved seats case, does not jeopardise the government's position.

"We still have a majority of 209 members, and the verdict has not been completed yet," Tarar stated following the ruling that PTI was eligible for the allocation of reserved seats.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, law minister mentioned uncertainty about whether the government would file a review petition against the verdict, noting, "It is the prerogative of the federal cabinet, not a minister."

Tarar described the verdict as "interesting," explaining that the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) had claimed the reserved seats, not PTI.

"There was no mention of PTI in the PHC verdict, and the law states that no judgment can be passed against someone without hearing them," he said.

He highlighted that the majority of the parties were not present in court, yet the verdict was announced against them.

Tarar added that 80 candidates had never claimed in the Supreme Court that they belonged to PTI and questioned why they had to join SIC.

"These 80 candidates said that they belonged to SIC," he emphasised.

"There are constitutional and legal flaws in this verdict that will remain under discussion," Tarar concluded.

Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari has also criticized the SC's decision on reserved seats, alleging that the constitution was "rewritten to benefit a personal favourite."

Bukhari questioned the integrity of the constitution, law, and institutions, stating, "Everything seems fine as long as it benefits the favourite."

"Interference by agencies has been defeated by domestic intervention, and the judiciary has repeated a dark chapter," the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) spokesperson said.

"The constitution was rewritten this time for a personal favourite," she added.

PMLN senior leader and PM’s advisor on political affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan also talked to the media after the SC verdict, he stated, "Verdicts like these are never in the interest of the country."

Further commenting on the verdict, the PML-N leader said the verdict reflects negative influences on the judiciary.

Earlier, the SC had overturned the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Election Commission's decision regarding the reserved seats of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

The 13-member larger bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa, had reserved the decision, which was later announced by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

The court declared the Election Commission's notification of May 13 unconstitutional, stating in its majority decision that no party could be deprived of the electoral process by being denied its electoral symbol.