SC reserves verdict on Sunni Ittehad Council Plea

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its verdict on the Sunni Ittehad Council ‘s (SIC) plea challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to deny them reserved seats. The case, heard by a 13-member full court bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, concluded today after extensive arguments from both parties.

Barrister Salman Akram Raja, representing Kanwal Shauzab, and Faisal Siddiqui from Sunni Ittehad Council presented their respective arguments before the bench. The court bench, comprising justices including Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Muneeb Akhtar, and Ayesha Malik among others, engaged deeply with the legal intricacies of the case.

During the proceedings, SIC’s counsel highlighted discrepancies in the ECP’s allocation of reserved seats, particularly questioning the allocation to the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). Chief Justice Isa intervened, questioning the logic of SIC’s argument in light of their electoral performance.

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Responding to the arguments, Barrister Raja raised concerns over the ECP’s handling of the electoral process, accusing the electoral body of withholding crucial documents from the court. Justice Athar Minallah expressed dissatisfaction with the ECP’s conduct, criticizing its failure to fulfill its constitutional obligations transparently.

Justice Shahid Waheed echoed these sentiments, remarking on the ECP’s presentation as a party rather than an impartial institution.

Following the conclusion of arguments, Chief Justice Isa announced that the court had reserved its verdict, indicating that the decision would be made public after thorough deliberation and consultation among the bench members. However, no specific date was provided for the announcement of the verdict.