After inclusion of PTI-backed Independents, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allocation of reserved seats. An application has been submitted in the ECP for this purpose by the SIC. The SIC has taken the stance that at least 50 PTI-backed Independents had joined the SIC. These Independents should now be considered as SIC lawmakers. The SIC pleaded to the ECP that seats reserved for women and minorities should be allotted to the SIC. It may be recalled that on Monday PTI-backed Independents had announced to join the SIC. Earlier, a ddressing a news conference along with leaders of the SIC and the Majlis-e-Waddatul Muslimeen (MWM) PTI leader Barrister Gohar claimed his party had secured victory on 180 National Assembly seats. He said PTI-backed Independents declared returned from National Assembly, Punjab and KP assemblies would join the SIC.

He said this alliance had been created for the best interest of the country. Earlier on Monday, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said PTI-backed independents, who claimed victory from the National Assembly, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies in the general elections, would join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as a party. PTI’s announcement followed a formal agreement with the SIC. "Our successful candidates have submitted affidavits with us and today we are announcing that PTI-backed candidates are joining the Sunni Ittehad Council," Gohar stated during a press conference. He mentioned that the reserved seats in the federal legislature and provincial legislatures were allotted according to the strength of political parties in the houses. “Therefore, to secure our reserved seats and shield our members, we have made a formal agreement under which our candidates will join the SIC,” Gohar said, adding, “The PTI will submit the same documentation to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)