PM 'begins' consultations with allies over Supreme Court reserved seats verdict
1. Leaders of both political parties to meet today; PML-N decides to take PPP into confidence
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to consult with allied parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), over the Supreme Court's 8-5 verdict on reserved seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) intends to involve its main ally, PPP, in discussions that will take place at the President's House.
Key figures from both parties will attend the meeting. Representing PML-N will be Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, along with Special Assistant to the PM for Law Irfan Qadir, Ahmed Cheema, and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. From the PPP, participants will include Farook H Naek, Sherry Rehman, and Nayyar Bokhari. Attorney General Mansoor Awan will provide a briefing to President Zardari and other attendees.
This development follows the Supreme Court's ruling that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities, nullifying a previous Peshawar High Court order. In response, PML-N has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court's verdict, raising questions about the allocation of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and the legitimacy of granting these seats to parties that did not submit lists or nominations within the prescribed time.
