Opposition moves PHC over oath-taking on KP reserved seats

• PML-N, PPP, JUI-F urge court to ensure swearing in of members.
• KP govt, opposition at odds over oath-taking on reserved seats.
• Reserved seats important for province's 11 seats in Senate polls.

PESHAWAR: Opposition parties in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly Monday moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) seeking the court's intervention on the issue of oath-taking of members on the reserved seats.

The petition, filed by members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), urges the court to see that the members elected on the reserved seats are sworn in to be able to cast their votes in the upcoming Senate elections.

"Failure to administer the oath to members elected on the KP reserved reflects 'mal-intent'," the plea reads further praying the court to postpone the Senate polls if the elected members are not sworn in.

The development comes as the issue of oath-taking of members on the reserved seats is facing uncertainty owing to the deadlock between the KP government and opposition parties, wherein the former has objected to the KP governor's decision to summon the assembly session upon the opposition's request.

According to KP Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru, the governor took an illegal step by writing a letter summoning the assembly session.

Last week, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Central Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi had announced approaching the courts as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to convene the provincial assembly session.

His remarks came after KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati's refused to follow the governor's recommendation to summon the legislature's session and administer the oath to the members elected on seats reserved for women and minorities.

It is pertinent to know that the oath-taking of KP Assembly members notified on reserved seats has become crucial for both the ruling and opposition parties as it will play an important role in the Senate polls slated for April 2 for filling 11 seats from the province.

The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which has a clear majority in the house, is planning to delay the oath-taking, at least till the Senate polls. 

With the existing strength of the assembly, the ruling party can win most of the Senate seats in all categories from the province.

On the other hand, the opposition parties want the 24 MPAs elected on reserved seats to be administered oath before the Senate polls to get the desired number of seats in the upper house of parliament.