Reserve Seats: Govt. To Decide Due Course Of Action After Seeing Detailed Judgment: Rana Sanaullah

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that the government would carefully review the details of the Supreme Court's judgment on reserved seats before determining its next move

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jul, 2024) Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that the government would carefully review the details of the Supreme Court's judgment on reserved seats before determining its next move.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the government would consider filing a review petition on the Supreme Court's decision on reserved seats after thoroughly examining the detailed judgment and consulting legal experts.

He said the decision to seek a review of the verdict lies with the cabinet.

Regarding PTI’s stance, he said, “PTI never claimed the reserved seats. If the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)misinterpreted the ruling, PTI could have interpreted it correctly. Even if PTI has made a mistake, the court must rectify it.”

He added, “The Supreme Court ruling did not favor the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), as their petition was not accepted by the court.”

He said that members who joined the Sunni Ittehad Council by giving an affidavit could be de-seated by the ECP if they join any other party.

Explaining the case, he said that some individuals participated in the general elections as independent candidates and, after winning, provided formal affidavits within three days, as per the constitution and law, to join the SIC.

He added that the SIC requested reserved seats, but the ECP maintained that since the Sunni Ittehad Council did not participate in the election as a party, these seats could not be allocated to them. The SIC then appealed to the Peshawar High Court, where this decision was upheld, and subsequently went to the Supreme Court.

“We hold the courts and judges in utmost esteem. They are the best at what they do. Judges have sworn to protect the constitution; rewriting it contravenes this oath,” he added.

He warned that allowing members who joined one party under an affidavit to switch parties could lead to new legal disputes.

Responding to a question, he said, that the Supreme Court's ruling declaring PTI eligible for reserved seats was not a conspiracy against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led (PML-N) coalition government.

He confidently noted that the PML-N-led government had sufficient numbers in the Federal government and more than necessary in Punjab.

He reiterated that the Primary agenda of the current government is to lead the country out of its economic crisis. The government is open to political dialogue, which PTI has previously refused. The Prime Minister has again extended an offer for dialogue during the budget session, he said.

To another question he said, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supports the government and actively participated in the federal budget process.

He said that Nawaz Sharif leads both the Punjab and federal governments, and the main agenda of the government is to resolve the economic crisis. He expressed hope that the upcoming budget would alleviate current difficulties.

Regarding election tribunal decisions, he said that the right to review exists, and if any member's disqualification is upheld, new elections will be held in that constituency.