PTI-backed Independents Join Sunni Ittehad Council

The National Assembly Secretariat has officially accepted the inclusion of PTI-backed independent members in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), as revealed in the recently released list on its website. This development has significantly impacted the political landscape, with 83 lawmakers now being affiliated with the SIC, positioning it as the second-largest party in the lower house of the parliament.

Following the ECP's notification to the National Assembly Secretariat, independent members associated with the PTI were mandated to join the SIC. This directive stemmed from the PTI losing its election symbol in December 2023 due to irregularities in conducting intra-party elections. Consequently, the PTI candidates participated in the February 8 general elections as independents, ultimately forming the largest group in the National Assembly.

Per the country's election regulations, independent candidates are required to align with a political party within three days of the official election results. In compliance, the PTI-backed independents swiftly joined the SIC. However, despite this consolidation, the oversight authority overseeing the polls declined to allocate reserved seats to the SIC due to its failure to submit a list of nominees for the reserved seats before the elections. Consequently, these seats were reassigned to other parties, resulting in the PML-N becoming the largest party in the National Assembly with 120 seats.

In conclusion, the integration of PTI-backed independent members into the SIC has reshaped the political dynamics within the National Assembly, underscoring the significance of timely party affiliations in the post-election period.