Pakistan Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Imran Khan’s Party

Pakistan Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Imran Khan’s Party

In a significant legal victory for Imran Khan’s party, the Pakistan Supreme Court has ruled that the party is eligible for more than 20 seats reserved for women and minorities in Parliament.

The court’s decision overturns the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) move to deny the party’s share in reserved seats in the assemblies.

The ruling is seen as a major setback to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition, although there is no immediate threat to the federal government.

The case was filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a political alliance of Islamic political and Barelvi religious parties in Pakistan, challenging the Peshawar High Court’s decision upholding the ECP’s move.

A 13-member full bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the case and reserved the verdict for mutual consultation before announcing it on Friday.

The majority of eight judges ruled in favor of SIC, declaring the ECP’s order and the Peshawar High Court’s judgment to be ultra vires to the Constitution and without lawful authority.

The court also declared that the lack or denial of an election symbol does not affect a political party’s constitutional and legal rights to participate in an election and field candidates.

The verdict instructs the PTI to submit a list of its reserved seats candidates within 15 days.

Imran Khan welcomed the apex court’s ruling, saying, “Allah is Al Haq! (Allah is the truth)” and demanding criminal proceedings against those responsible for disenfranchising millions of voters and supporters of Pakistan’s largest political party.

PTI chief Gohar Khan hailed the verdict as a ‘historic decision’ in the country’s history, saying, “We finally got what we deserved.”