Reserved seats: Five parties submit lists containing 71 nominations

ISLAMABAD: Five political parties have submitted their respective lists containing a total of 71 nominations for the reserved seats in four legislatures, previously claimed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as the electoral entity has fixed this case for hearing on the coming Monday, less than two weeks after the issuance of Supreme Court’s order in the reserved seats case.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) has submitted 21 nominations for the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in the four Assemblies. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has submitted 15 nominations, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) 14 nominations, Awami National Party (ANP) 11 nominations and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamen-tarians (PTIP) has submitted 10 nominations to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), as per the cause list issued by the electoral body.

An ECP bench would start hearing this case from Monday morning, suggest the notices issued to five political parties and their 71 candidates for the reserved seats in National, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh Assemblies.

The allocation of reserved seats on the part of ECP on 2 July, in pursuance of the apex court’s 27 June order, reveals that PML-N has received the largest chunk of 43 reserved seats, followed by 15 reserved seats having gone to PPP, and 12 seats to JUI-F, as the poll body has allotted a total of 74 of 77 reserved seats to other political parties in the four Assemblies.

One reserved seat each has gone to ANP, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP) and Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).

The development implies that the ruling coalition has regained two-thirds majority in the National and Punjab legislatures.

Three reserved seats have not been allotted keeping in view the related electoral issues involving these seats, it is learnt.

Of the allotted reserved seats, 19 seats fall in the National Assembly, 27 seats fall in Punjab Assembly, 25 seats in KP Assembly and three seats in Sindh Assembly.

Overall, of these allotted seats in the four legislatures, 63 seats are reserved for women and 11 seats are reserved for non-Muslims.

Of the allotted 19 reserved seats in the NA, comprising of 11 seats from Punjab, five from KP and three non-Muslim-reserved seats, 13 seats have been allotted to PML-N (10 women-reserved seats from Punjab, two from KP, and one non-Muslim-reserved seat). Four reserved seats have been allotted to Pakistan Peoples Party - PPP (two from KP, one each from Punjab and non-Muslim seats), and two seats have been allotted to JUI-F (one seat each from KP and non-Muslim seats).

In PA, of the 27 allotted reserved seats, comprising of 24 women and three non-Muslim seats, PML-N got 23 seats (21 women, two non-Muslim seats), PPP got two seats (one each for woman and non-Muslim), and PML-Q and IPP each got a woman seat.

In KPA, of the 25 allotted seats, comprising 21 women and four non-Muslim seats, JUI-F received 10 seats (eight women, two non-Muslims), PML-N got seven reserved seats (six women and a non-Muslim), PPP also got seven reserved seats (six women and a non-Muslim), and ANP received a woman seat.

And, in SA, of the three allotted seats, consisting of two women-reserved and a non-Muslim reserved seat, PPP has been allotted two seats; one each for woman and non-Muslim, and MQM-P has got a woman seat.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025