PTI lawyers upbeat over SC ruling on reserved seats

PESHAWAR: The Insaf Lawyers Forum on Friday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court on the reserved seats of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and termed it a victory for the party and rule of law.

A large number of lawyers had gathered at the Peshawar High Court Bar Room to watch the Supreme Court’s decision on television screenThe lawyers chanted slogans in favour of the PTI leadership and termed the decision a victory for the party. The Supreme Court overruled the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Peshawar High Court depriving the PTI of the seats reserved for women and members of the minority groups. The PTI had challenged the PHC decision in the apex court.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Sikandar Shah of Insaf Lawyers Forum, said that the Election Commission of Pakistan had deprived the PTI of the reserved seats. “We welcome the decision. The ECP had misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s verdict about the election symbol bat,” he said, adding that the PTI was a political party, which was registered with the ECP, therefore, it could not be deprived of the reserved seats.

Sikandar Shah said that the case of reserved seats had been decided, asking the ECP to hold the Senate election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the earliest.He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been deprived of representation in the Senate by delaying the election for the Upper House of the Parliament.

In its majority ruling, the Supreme Court held that the PTI was a registered party so it cannot be deprived of the reserved seats. The apex court annulled the decision of the PCH depriving PTI of its share in the seats reserved for women and members of the minority groups.