The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially notified 39 members of the National Assembly (MNAs) as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers. This decision follows the Supreme Court’s July 12 ruling, which overturned the ECP and Peshawar High Court’s decision to deprive the Sunni Ittehad Council—comprising PTI-backed independents—of reserved seats in favor of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition.
The 8-5 majority verdict confirmed that 39 out of the 80 MNAs listed by the ECP as PTI candidates indeed belonged to the party. The remaining 41 independents must submit notarized statements to the commission within 15 days, clarifying their political affiliation during the February 8 general elections.
In response to the verdict, the ECP decided to implement the Supreme Court’s decision. They instructed their legal team to identify any obstacles in implementing the ruling and seek further guidance from the Supreme Court if necessary.
The ECP emphasized that it had not misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s decision nor declared the intra-party elections valid. According to the ECP, PTI’s intra-party elections did not comply with the law, and candidates who filed nominations without a party ticket and declaration could not be considered PTI candidates.
Therefore, in line with the Supreme Court’s decision, the ECP notified 39 independents who had declared their affiliation with PTI when submitting their nominations. The notification stated: “In pursuance of the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, dated July 12, 2024, the following returned candidates against general seats of the National Assembly are declared to have been returned as candidates of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).”
