Webdesk: The Governor’s Secretariat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has issued a directive to the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, calling for the immediate summoning of a session of the provincial assembly for the administration of oath to returned candidates on reserved seats for women and non-Muslims.
This is in response to a letter by the Election Commission of Pakistan dated July 14, 2025, in which it highlighted the importance of holding the session of the assembly immediately as per the decision of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Citing Rule 36(1)(a) read with Schedule-V of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Rules of Business 1985, the Governor’s Secretariat has stressed that the matter must be submitted through the Chief Minister to the Hon’ble Governor for approval.
The letter urges that immediate measures be taken under Article 109(a) of the Constitution to ensure timely compliance with the directives of both the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, and notes that early action in the matter would be highly appreciated.
Earlier, in the case regarding the distribution of reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, lawyers representing all political parties completed their arguments during the first hearing at the Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday. Following this, the Election Commission reserved its judgment.
The hearing was conducted by a five-member bench headed by the Chief Election Commissioner. Lawyers from PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, ANP, and PTI-Parliamentarians appeared before the commission.
At the start of the hearing, JUI-F’s lawyer, Kamran Murtaza, told the commission that the matter had already been challenged in the Supreme Court, and a detailed verdict from the Peshawar High Court had also been issued. He raised objections and asked whether the case would be heard only in the context of KP.
Presenting his arguments, Kamran Murtaza asked if a reserved seat could be reversed if it was already allocated before his party’s candidate joined. He said that any exercise related to reserved seats that has already been completed cannot be undone, and the matter was settled with Amir Muqam after the High Court’s decision.
In response, the Chief Election Commissioner said, “Whatever was agreed upon outside this forum is not relevant here.”
The commission members jokingly remarked, “You can catch them outside then,” while Kamran Murtaza maintained that once reserved seats are allotted, they cannot be changed, as per media reports.
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