ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The PTI-backed lawmakers on Friday staged a strong protest demonstration against the oath-taking of National Assembly members on reserved seats.
They called the act as a contempt of court and unconstitutional.
The Imran Khan-led party contested that the reserved seats on which MNAs were sworn in should have been allocated to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has found a home in the SIC after its victory in the February 8 general elections without an electoral symbol.
The party has been at odds with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after the latter rejected an SIC petition seeking the allocation of reserved seats. Earlier this week, the SIC challenged the electoral watchdog’s verdict in the Peshawar High Court, which deferred the oath-taking of nine women lawmakers, who had been awarded the reserved seats claimed by the party.
Today, as the NA session convened, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq administered oath to lawmakers on reserved women and minority seats.
Speaking on the floor of the assembly after the oath-taking, PTI-backed independent MNA Omer Ayub Khan stated that the swearing-in amounted to “contempt of court”.
“This oath-taking is illegal and has no legal standing,” he said.
“Today, on behalf of all the opposition members, I demand that the oath should be declared null and void,” he said, adding that the opposition would continue to protest until the SIC was given its due reserved seats.
Meanwhile, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that the PHC had issued a stay order on oath-taking and MNAs on reserved seats could not be sworn in until a final decision was taken in the case.