Ruling coalition gets lion’s share of reserved seats
ECP restores 76 reserved seats after SC verdict; PML-N secures
44 seats, PPP 14, JUI-F 13 and MQM, IPP, PML-Q, ANP, and PTI-P each receive one seat
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday awarded the 76 reserved seats in the National and provincial assemblies to the PML-N, PPP and the opposition Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F after the Supreme Court’s verdict.
After receiving the reserved seats the ruling coalition has achieved its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. It may be mentioned here that recently, the Constitutional Bench overturned the Supreme Court’s earlier judgement in the reserved seats case — taking away reserved seats from the PTI and handing them to their rival parties in the national and provincial legislatures.
The Constitutional Bench’s decision effectively meant the PTI was no longer a parliamentary party.
After receiving the reserves seats, the ruling coalition has achieved a two-thirds majority in a house of 336, the magic number required to attain a two-thirds majority is 224.
The National Assembly Secretariat’s Legislation Branch later issued the National Assembly composition reflecting the actual party position. It showed the treasury benches as now having 235 seats to the opposition’s 98 seats, for a total of 333 seats with one MNA suspended and two reserved seats being vacant.
A fresh notification has been issued to restore the memberships of women and minority lawmakers who had previously been de-notified.
In accordance with the June 27, 2025 verdict of the Supreme Court, the ECP has reversed its earlier notifications issued on July 24 and 29, 2024, and has also withdrawn its prior decision that recognised certain independent candidates as PTI-affiliated members.
Among the reinstated seats, the Pakistan Muslim League-N has secured the most significant share with 44 seats in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
In total, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Freceived 13 seats, PPP got 14, and MQM regained one seat. Additionally, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, PML-Q, Awami National Party, and PTI-Parliamentarians each received one seat.
In Punjab, a detailed notification restored 24 reserved seats for women and three for minorities. Of the women’s seats, 21 were given to PML-N, while PPP-Parliamentarians, IPP, and PML received one seat each. Among the three minority seats, two were awarded to PML-N, and one went to PPP-Parliamentarians.
Notable women lawmakers reinstated as Punjab Assembly members included Maqsoodan Bibi, Rubina Nazir, Salma Zahid, Kanwal Nauman, Zeba Ghafoor, Saeeda Samreen Taj, Sheher Bano, Aamna Parveen, Syeda Sameera Ahmed, Uzma Butt, Afshan Hussain, Shagufta Faisal, Nasreen Riaz, Sajida Naveed, Farzana Abbas, Maria Talal, Tashin Fawad, Abida Basheer, Sadia Muzaffar, Faiza Momina, Amira Khan, Samia Atta, Rahat Afza, and Rukhsana Shafiq.
Reinstated minority members include Tariq Masih Gul, Waseem Anjum, and Basro Ji, who have resumed their roles as members of the Punjab Assembly.
It is worth mentioning that yesterday, the Peshawar High Court had issued a restraining order against the swearing-in of newly selected members on reserved seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
The order came during a hearing on a petition filed by PTI-P, where serious objections were raised regarding the allocation of reserved seats by the ECP.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal heard the case. The bench, after initial arguments, issued notices to the ECP and directed that no oath be administered to the members until the next hearing.
Petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Sultan Muhammad Khan, argued that the ECP had miscalculated the allocation of reserved seats.
Sultan Muhammad Khan contended that PTI-P holds two general seats in the provincial assembly but was allocated only one reserved seat for women.
He further argued that the party is entitled to two more women’s seats and one minority seat. He stressed that PTI did not contest elections as a party, and independent candidates affiliated with it had joined PTI-P post-election, which should be reflected in the reserved seat count.
Following the arguments, the court directed that the oath-taking for the reserved seat members be paused until further orders.
As per the SC decision, 21 reserved seats in the National Assembly, including 3 minority seats, will be restored. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 8 women’s seats in the National Assembly will be reinstated, while Punjab will see the return of 10 women’s reserved seats.
In the Punjab Assembly, 24 women and 3 minority seats will be restored, while the Sindh Assembly will reinstate two women and one minority member. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will see the restoration of 21 women and 4 minority seats.
Party-wise, the National Assembly will reinstate 14 seats for PML-N, 4 for PPP, and 3 for JUI-F. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will see the reinstatement of 10 seats for JUI-F, 7 for PML-N, 6 for PPP, and one each for ANP and PTI-P. From Sindh, MQM will regain one seat and PPP two. Nationwide, JUI-F will reclaim 13 seats, PPP 14, MQM 1, and one seat each will go to IPP, PML-Q, ANP, and PTI-P.
