ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition has officially lost two-third majorities in National and Punjab Assemblies – respectively losing 19 and 27 seats in the two Houses – after the electoral entity finally suspended the legislative memberships of a total 77 lawmakers of the four Assemblies, on reserved seats claimed by Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a week after the Supreme Court suspended the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC’s) verdict against the allocation of reserved seats to SIC.

Consequently, PML-N has lost 44 seats in three Assemblies, PPP has lost 15 seats in four Assemblies, JUI-F has lost 13 seats in two Assemblies—and PML-Q, MQM-P, ANP, PTI-P and IPP have lost one seat each, in the light of a notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday, pursuant to the apex court’s May 6 decision.

Of the 77 suspended legislators, 66 were elected on women seats and 11 on minorities’ seats.

Punjab PA: ruling alliance suffers major blow

According to the details, 22 lawmakers, in total, have been suspended on NA seats; 19 women and three minorities. Of them, eleven women-reserved NA seats belong to Punjab and eight from KP.

The development indicates that the strength of ruling coalition that had 224 seats in 336-seat NA has now been reduced to 205 seats after Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have collectively lost 19 seats in NA.

The PML-N alone has lost 14 seats in National Assembly; nine women seats from Punjab, four from KP and one minority seat. PPP has lost five NA seats; two from Punjab and KP each, and one minority seat.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F)-F has lost three NA seats; two from KP and one minority seat.

In Punjab Assembly, the ruling coalition had 261 seats, more than two-third majority in 371-seat House, now reduced to 234 seats, thus losing the two-third majority.

The PML-N lost 23 seats; 21 women and two minority seats in Punjab Assembly. The PPP has lost two seats; woman and minority each, and Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) lost woman seat each.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the JUI-F has lost 10 seats; eight women and two minorities, the PML-N lost seven seats; six women and a minority seat, PPP lost six seats; five women and a minority, and Awami National Party (ANP), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf- Parliamentarians (PTI-P) have lost woman seat each.

And, in Sindh Assembly, PPP has lost two seats; woman and minority, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has lost woman seat.

If reserved seats are allotted to SIC; its strength would increase to 106 seats in NA, 130 seats in Punjab Assembly and 139 seats in KP Assembly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024