Supreme Court Suspends Peshawar High Court’s Decision on Seat Allocation Dispute.

BY: M. Ilyas

ISLAMABAD- The Supreme Court of Pakistan has intervened in the ongoing dispute over the allocation of specific seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The decision came after the Peshawar High Court’s ruling was suspended following an appeal by the Sunni Ittehad Council and the provincial government. A three-member bench, headed by Supreme Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, heard arguments from various parties, including Advocate General KP Shah Faisal Atmankhil, Barrister Gohar Ali, and Barrister Ali Zafar. The case revolves around the allocation of seats originally designated for the Sunni Ittehad Council to other political parties in the assembly. The crux of the argument presented by the appellants is that the distribution of seats among other parties, such as PPP and Muslim League-N, violates constitutional principles of proper representation. They contend that seats specifically allocated to their party were unlawfully distributed to others, compromising their right to proportional representation in the assembly. During the hearing, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah underscored the importance of democratic principles, emphasizing the need for fair representation in the assembly based on party strength. The Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the Peshawar High Court’s ruling temporarily halts the reallocation of seats in question. This move has effectively put on hold the membership of members from other parties who had been occupying these seats. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, representing the Sunni Ittehad Council, expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, highlighting that it upholds their contention that the seat allocation was unconstitutional. The case is set to resume on June 3, with the Supreme Court committing to daily hearings to expedite the resolution of the matter. The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the distribution of seats in the KP Assembly and the broader principles of democratic representation in Pakistan.