Sunni Ittehad Council vows to bring own PM as PTI independents join party

ISLAMABAD: Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza on Monday asserted that his party would bring its own prime minister as PTI-backed independent members started joining the religious party, ARY News reported.

PTI-backed national and provincial assembly lawmakers have started submitting affidavits, officially announcing their affiliation with Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in line with the party’s decision.

Meanwhile, the religious party had also filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for reserved seats.

Talking to journalists outside the ECP office, SIC chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza said that his party’s alliance with Imran Khan-led PTI was not new, it was intact from the last six years.

“The people have given their mandate; people’s mandate will not be dishonoured,” he said, adding that there are reports of five to six independent lawmakers being poached by other political parties.

He further said that his father never remained a member of national assembly (MNA) on ticket of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “We are looking into the issue of reserved seats for women,” he added.

Earlier in the day, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced that party-backed independent candidates — who emerged victorious in the Centre, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the 2024 general elections — would join Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as part of their parliamentary strategy.

He addressed the media in Islamabad today alongside party leaders Raoof Hasan, PTI PM candidate Omar Ayub Khan, SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Majlis Wahadat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Secretary General Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.

“Our candidates have submitted their affidavits with us and with their consent today we are announcing that PTI-supported independents are joining the Sunni Ittehad Council,” Barrister Gohar said.

The decision was taken after prolonged consultation between PTI, SIC and MWM, he added.

Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s political future as none of the major political parties – PML-N, PPP, or the PTI-backed independent candidates – secured a simple majority in the National Assembly in the February 8 general elections.

Political stakeholders were making efforts to forge alliances and secure 169 seats in the 336-member lower house of parliament.

PTI-backed Independent candidates consolidated their lead in the general elections 2024 over mainstream political parties, especially in the National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies, throughout the result announcement process.

According to the results announced so far, independent candidates have managed to win 101 seats. It is worth mentioning that out of these 101 independent candidates, 92 are supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf while nine are general independent candidates.

PML-N is in the second position with 75 seats, while the PPP has won 54 seats. The MQM-P won in 17 constituencies, JUI-F in four, and PML-Q in three, while IPP and BNP won two seats each.