SIC not eligible for reserved seats, remarks top court judge

A judge of the Constitutional Bench (CB) of the Supreme Court said on Monday that the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)/Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) does not qualify for reserved seats of the national and provincial assemblies as it live-streamed its proceedings for the first time.

- Tariq Butt

Justices Jamal Mandokhail raised concerns over independent lawmakers aligning with a party absent from parliament. The CB resumed hearing of a set of review pleas against the top court's ruling that had declared the PTI eligible for reserved seats.

In its July 12, 2024 short order, eight out of 13 judges ruled that 39 out of a list of 80 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) were and are the returned candidates of the PTI, setting it to emerge as the single largest party in the Lower House of Parliament.