Parliamentary parties agree to retain 272 National Assembly seats

LAHORE: The National Assembly of Pakistan will retain 272 seats, a decision which was taken during the meeting of parliamentary parties.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said while the number of seats would remain the same there would be a change in the allocation for provinces. 

“The number of seats for Punjab will decrease, KP and Balochistan will see an increase, while an additional seat would be allocated for Islamabad.”

It was decided in the meeting that nine seats from Punjab, out of which seven are general and two are reserved for women, will be decreased. However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will witness an increase of five seats, of which four will be general seats and one reserved for women candidates.

Balochistan will see an increase of three national assembly seats, two general and one for women. Sindh and Fata will not see any changes in the number of seats, while Islamabad Capital Territory would have an increase of one seat in the assembly. 

Sadiq, speaking to the media, elaborated that a short NA session will be held as the "decision has been made in principle" to not increase the number of NA seats, which would remain capped at 272. 

He added further that after the national assembly passes the bill, it will be passed on to the Senate. 

"We are trying to get it done by Friday, and will then present it [bill] in the Senate," said Sadiq. 

The speaker of the assembly said the decision was taken after knowing the time constraints faced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). 

"All agree that the seats should not be increased." 

Earlier today, Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) Secretary Babar Yaqoob said that after holding the new census, it is not possible to conduct polls on the old constituencies.

Yaqoob said the ECP is worried about the delimitation of constituencies in light of the new census.

He informed that the delimitation and work on voters’ lists would be undertaken simultaneously, but added that he feared there will be more room for error if the ECP is given less time for these exercises.

Yaqoob said even if by November 10 the government is able to complete the legal formalities with regard to the new constituencies, the ECP will be able to make it work.