ISLAMABAD: Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Head of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), voiced strong criticism against the Election Commission’s recent decision to deny reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on Thursday.
In an interview with a private news channel, Mehboob argued that allocating reserved seats to other parties would escalate tensions, jeopardizing the country’s pursuit of stability.
He deemed the denial of reserved seats to the SIC unjustified, asserting that it could lead to government challenges and hinder aid reception.
Mehboob contended that the election commission misinterpreted the law, particularly regarding the SIC’s submission of candidate lists for reserved seats. He questioned how a party that didn’t contest the election could be expected to submit its list early.
Highlighting the recent affiliation of PTI independents with the SIC, Mehboob emphasized the need to grant the council time to submit its list and receive its quota of reserved seats.
He urged swift resolution of the issue by election tribunals, warning against repeating past mistakes and stressing the urgency of addressing discrepancies in electoral documentation.
Mehboob raised concerns about delays in uploading forms and discrepancies in documentation, attributing these issues to the erosion of the election commission’s credibility.
