PTI likely to emerge as largest party in NA after SC’s reserved seats ruling

ISLAMABAD: Following the landmark victory from the Supreme Court on reserved seats, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is likely to emerge as a major party in the National Assembly as the opposition alliance is expected to grow to a strength of 120.

Supreme Court’s Friday verdict nullified Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) ruling to deny the main opposition party, PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council its reserved seats in parliament. After the top court verdict, Imran Khan’s party is eligible for the allocation of seats reserved for women and minorities.

Following today’s verdict, the ruling coalition led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has lost a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, however, they still enjoy a simple majority with 209 seats in the house.

Imran Khan’s party is expected to emerge as the largest group in the NA as the party’s numbers are likely to soar to 109 after it gets 23 seats reserved for women and minorities. This will surge the opposition alliance in the National Assembly to a strength of 120 seats.

Currently, the opposition alliance, including the PTI, has 97 members. At present, the PTI has 86 members in the lower house, with 84 on board with the Suni Ittehad Council (SIC) and two independents — Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Omar Ayub Khan.

After ECP’s December 2023 ruling to deny PTI-backed SIC reserved seats, the electoral body allotted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz 14 seats, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 5, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl was given three reserved seats in the National Assembly.