PTI welcomes Supreme Court's ruling on reserved seats case

Senator Shibli Faraz says top court has made it clear – the status of our members is now resolved

Senate Opposition Leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member, Senator Shibli Faraz, hailed the Supreme Court's eight-member bench ruling on the issue of reserved seats, calling it a significant victory for his party.

Speaking at a press conference at Parliament House alongside PTI leader Aun Abbas on Saturday, Faraz said, "We promptly approached the Supreme Court on the reserved seats issue, and the court has now delivered a clear and decisive ruling."

Faraz added that the ruling had clarified the status of PTI members. "The Supreme Court has made it clear – the status of our members is now resolved," he said. He also highlighted that, while the Rahim Yar Khan by-election results were swiftly notified, the general election results, held six months ago, still remain undecided.

Criticising the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Faraz said, "The ECP is responsible for conducting the most controversial election in the country's history. Decisions regarding PTI are delayed, while other forums see swift resolutions. It is the ECP’s constitutional duty to ensure free and fair elections."

Faraz also voiced concerns over the delayed local body elections, calling it a "malicious act" that is damaging Pakistan’s political landscape.

He noted that the election tribunals have yet to announce results, further delaying the election process.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court criticised the delay in implementing its decision on the reserved seats case, warning of serious consequences if the ruling is not implemented.

An eight-judge bench, which ruled on the reserved seats issue concerning the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately release the list of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) returned candidates.

The court's four-page statement made it clear that the absence of an election symbol does not void a political party's legal and constitutional rights.

"PTI remains a recognised political party and has secured seats in both national and provincial assemblies," the judges stated.