Protesting Across Pakistan, Imran Khan's Party Stands Firm Following Court's Refusal of Reserved Seats
**Headline:** Supreme Court Ruling Reshapes Pakistan's Political Landscape, Bolstering Coalition's Strength
In a significant turn of events, the political landscape in Pakistan has seen a major shift following a recent ruling by the Supreme Court on reserved seats in parliament for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The Supreme Court, on June 28, 2025, overturned its earlier decision, ruling that PTI is not eligible for reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies. This decision reinstates the Peshawar High Court's ruling and is based on the fact that PTI candidates contested as independents in the February 2024 elections due to the party not holding valid intra-party elections.
As a result of this ruling, PTI has lost its share of reserved seats. Specifically, 22 National Assembly seats and 55 Provincial Assembly seats will be transferred to the government coalition, which includes the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
This shift in seats significantly bolsters the ruling coalition's strength in parliament. The coalition now holds a two-thirds majority, allowing them to amend the Constitution without needing opposition support. This development has substantial implications for the future of competitive democracy in Pakistan, particularly during discussions about potential constitutional changes and the civil-military balance.
The PML-N was allocated 13 reserved seats for women in the National Assembly, while the PPPP was allocated 4 and the JUI-F was allocated 2. In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, 21 reserved seats for women were reinstated, with 8 allocated to the JUI-F, 6 to the PML-N, 5 to the PPPP, 1 to the PTI Parliamentarians, and 1 to the Awami National Party (ANP).
The ECP also restored 24 reserved seats for women in the Punjab Assembly, with 21 going to the PML-N, 1 to the PPPP, 1 to the IPP, and 1 to the PML-Q. After securing the reserved seats, the PML-N-led coalition needed only 11 seats to secure a simple majority on its own in the National Assembly.
Out of the four reserved seats for minorities in the KP Assembly, 2 were given to the JUI-F and 1 each to the PML-N and the PPPP. Three minority seats were allocated in the Punjab Assembly—two to the PML-N and one to the PPPP. Two reserved seats for women and one for minorities were reinstated in the Sindh Assembly, with two allotted to the PPP and one to the MQM-P.
The political analyst Zahid Hussain noted that the move has given the ruling coalition government the much-desired two-thirds majority, enabling them to make constitutional changes as per their will. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), stated that the move would further strengthen the ruling PML-N as it would reduce the party's reliance on the PPP.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party announced a nationwide movement against the government after the Islamic month of Muharram, which could potentially lead to increased polarization and challenging times for PTI as it faces legal and political challenges under Khan's leadership. The development is expected to further weaken PTI's position at the center.
- The ruling by the Supreme Court, overturning PTI's eligibility for reserved seats, has seen a shift in Pakistan's political landscape, especially in the realm of policy-and-legislation, as the ruling coalition now holds a two-thirds majority.
- The recent events in Pakistani politics, including the Supreme Court's ruling and the subsequent shift in seats, have substantial implications for the general-news sector, as it raises questions about the future of competitive democracy and the civil-military balance in the country.
- Crime-and-justice dynamics might also see a change due to these political shifts, as the laws and policies discussed in policy-and-legislation debates could impact the justice system and potentially the prevalence of crimes in the country.
