ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday announced that its party-backed independents, who secured seats in the National, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab assemblies, will be joining the Sunni Ittehad Council. The announcement was made by PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan during a press conference held today, where he announced that the candidates have formally submitted their affidavits to the party, signaling their consent to join the Sunni Ittehad Council.
Explaining the process, Gohar Khan said that a formal agreement has been reached between the PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council, with all PTI-supported independents now officially becoming members of the party. This agreement will be presented before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for documentation, and a request will also be filed regarding the allocation of reserved seats in accordance with the party’s strength and the law.
The recently held general election saw PTI-backed candidates contesting independently due to the Supreme Court’s decision to strip the party of its election symbol. However, under the Election Act, 2017, elected representatives are mandated to join a political party within three days of notification, leading to this strategic move by the PTI.
Furthermore, the PTI had previously announced its intention to form coalition governments with Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) in the center and Punjab, along with forming a coalition with Jamaat-i-Islami in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for reserved seats, as stated by the party’s Central Information Secretary, Raoof Hasan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s two major parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are scheduled to meet today in an attempt to reconcile differences and explore possibilities for forming a minority coalition government after an inconclusive election.
