Nawaz Sharif summons high-ups meeting after SC's verdict

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif summoned an important meeting to devise further course of action after the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s verdict in the reserved seats case, ARY News reported citing sources.

The meeting will be attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz, and other bigwigs of the PML-N, the sources privy to the development said.

The federal cabinet members will also attend the meeting which is specifically called for discussing crucial matters aftermath of the apex court’s verdict, declaring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) eligible for reserved seats.

The sources added that the Nawaz Sharif-headed meeting will also engage in consultations on other key issues.

Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the decision in the reserved seats case cannot be termed a ‘conspiracy’ against the government.

Addressing a presser in Islamabad, Rana Sanaullah said that the judges are also human beings and their opinions can be disagreed with. The PM’s advisor said the federal cabinet will decide availing the option of filing a review petition into the matter, adding that the legal team will be consulted to file a review petition in the apex court.

“If the government does not file a review petition, the suspended members of the assembly may file review appeals,” he added.

Rana Sanaullah said that the government has great regard for the apex court and the judges.

Earlier in the day, the SC overturned the denial of reserved seats to the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah announced the 8-5 majority verdict on a petition filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), an ally of the PTI.

Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Shahid Waheed, Muneeb Akhtar, Muhammad Ali Mazhar Ayesha Malik, Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Irfan Saadat Khan ruled in favour of the PTI.

The top court nullified the Peshawar High Court’s order wherein it had upheld the ECP’s decision denying the reserved seats to the SIC.

n its order, the apex court said that the Election Commission of Pakistan ECP’s decision of allocating reserved seats to the ruling coalition was unconstitutional.

The bench accepted SIC’s petition and ruled that the party is eligible for the allocation of reserved seats. The apex court accepted PTI as political party and asked Imran Khan-led party to submit reserved seats candidates list to ECP within 15 days.