ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday suspended the notifications of 75 returned candidates on reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies till further orders.
In a notification issued on Monday, the ECP said the decision was made pursuant to the Supreme Court’s May 6 order wherein it had suspended the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) verdict denying the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats for women and minorities.
“Pursuant to the Order dated 6th May, 2024 passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of “Pakistan in C.P.1.A.132812024 to C.P.1.A.132912024 and CMA 355412024 titled “sunni lttehad Council, Faisalabad, etc Versus Election Commission of Pakistan through its Secretary, lslamabad, etc.” the Notifications of the following returned candidates against under meltioned categories of Reserved Seats are hereby suspended till further orders,” read the notification issued by the ECP.
The suspended lawmakers comprise those given additional reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly and all Provincial Assemblies barring Balochistan.
The suspended Members of National Assembly include 8 women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 women from Punjab, and 3 minority candidates.
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 21 women and 4 minority lawmakers were suspended while in the Sindh Assembly, the membership of 2 females and one male member on minority seat was revoked till further orders.
The suspended lawmakers also include 27 MPAs who were suspended last week by the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan.