NA Speaker Sadiq clarifies comments, says he has ‘huge respect’ for courts

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq clarified on Monday that his comments from a TV interview regarding the Supreme Court’s reserved case verdict were “blown out of proportion” by an English daily, reaffirming that he has the utmost respect for courts.

“A newspaper misquoted my remarks made during a TV interview. The court writes to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and we implement it,” he said while presiding over an NA session today.

NA Speaker’s clarification comes after an interview with a private news channel where he spoke about parliamentary matters and the Supreme Court decisions.

However, a newspaper quoted him as saying that he would not implement the Apex Court’s decision on the allocation of reserved seats to PTI.

“I would prefer to wait for the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision before taking action,” he was quoted as saying.

Sadiq allegedly referred to the Supreme Court majority decision on the matter of PTI’s reserved seats as a “re-writing of the Constitution”—a view shared by many ministers.

“I have huge respect for the honourable judiciary,” Sadiq told lawmakers and added that the newspaper should do “responsible reporting.”

In July, a full-court bench of the Supreme Court set aside orders of the Peshawar High Court and ECP taking away reserved seats from the Sunni Ittehad Council. The court ruled that the PTI should be considered a political party and given reserved seats.

The ECP sought guidance from the SC on the statement that in the absence of a valid organizational structure of PTI, who would confirm the political affiliation of the returned candidates (MNAs and MPAs) on behalf of PTI, who have filed their statements in light of the SC’s July 12 order.

In a clarification on September 14, the SC disposed of the ECP’s petition and stated that the electoral authority’s request for clarification “is merely a delaying tactic.” The apex court noted that the ECP’s failure to perform the SC order might have consequences.

Then in its detailed order, the apex court said that election authorities denying major political party recognition infringes upon the electorate’s rights.

Earlier this month, the SC issued another clarification and said that amendments to election laws cannot overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of the reserved seat.

In its 14-page dissenting note, CJP Isa said that the majority of eight judges decided to part ways with the court, comprising thirteen judges, which had heard the appeals. But former CJP Qazi Faez Isa’s dissenting note said that the majority ruling in the case was not binding.

PTI files contempt plea against ECP for implementing reserved seats verdict

Earlier in the day, the PTI filed a contempt of court petition against the ECP for non-implementation of the top court’s orders in the reserved seats case.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and other members of the ECP have been made a party in the petition filed by PTI leader and senior lawyer Salman Akram Raja.

Citing the verdict, the petition said: “The aforesaid Judgment and clarifications/orders leave no doubt whatsoever that the PTI is entitled to reserved seats proportionate to the seats in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies won by it following the Judgment dated July 12, 2024.

“That the ECP has yet to act upon the judgment […] and complete the process of election women and non-Muslims on reserved seats in the NA as well as provincial assemblies.”