Sanam Javed among 67 candidates picked for reserved seats as PTI submits list to ECP

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has officially submitted its list of candidates for reserved seats to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). 

The list features prominent figures such as Sanam Javed, Aliya Hamza Malik, and Dr Yasmin Rashid, among others, chosen for seats designated for women and minorities in the assemblies, party sources disclosed on Friday.

This submission follows the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on July 12, which permitted PTI to claim reserved seats in the assemblies. This decision has the potential to make PTI the largest parliamentary party. 

The Supreme Court’s directive required PTI to present its list of eligible candidates within 15 days of the verdict. The ECP is mandated to publish the list within a week of submission.

The PTI's list includes 67 candidates for women's reserved seats and 11 for minority seats. For the National Assembly, nominees include Sanam Javed, Aliya Hamza Malik, Kanwal Shauzab, Rubina Shaheen, and Seemabia Tahir. 

Lal Chand Malhi has been nominated for a minority seat in the lower house, while Dr. Yasmin Rashid is named for a women's reserved seat in the Punjab Assembly.

This move follows the ECP’s declaration a day earlier that 39 PTI lawmakers, who had contested the February 8 elections as independent candidates and subsequently joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), are now officially recognised as PTI members in line with the Supreme Court's ruling.

Earlier in the week, PTI submitted the necessary documents affirming the party's affiliation to the ECP, complying with the court’s order to secure reserved seats in the assemblies. 

Due to the loss of its election symbol, PTI candidates ran as independents in the February 8 elections. These independents were then directed to join the SIC to qualify for the reserved seats.

The SIC had filed multiple petitions requesting the Supreme Court to allow PTI to hold reserved seats in the legislature. The Supreme Court ruled in PTI’s favor on July 12. 

However, this ruling faces challenges from the ruling coalition of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party, both of which have filed a review petition against the decision.

With these reserved seats, PTI aims to consolidate its parliamentary strength and emerge as the largest party in the assemblies.