PESHAWAR: Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, has urged JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehma to prove his ethical leadership by refusing to accept reserved seats in the provincial assembly.
He contends that these seats rightly belong to PTI, as affirmed by constitutional law and Supreme Court rulings. Talking to Journalists Barrister Saif said that the current legal framework and court judgments entitle PTI to these seats, a demonstration of “moral courage” by other parties should transcend legal obligations. He went on to accuse the provincial coalition of allocating reserved seats to “parties rejected by the public” and described the practice as a political “auction masquerading under the cloak of judicial decree.”
He noted that PTI has previously accused authorities of manipulating election results—via Form 47 irregularities—and now, even reserved seats are being distributed to opposition parties unfairly. Recalling PTI leader Amir Haider Khan Hoti’s decision to renounce his allocated reserved seats, Saif praised him as a commendable example of principled conduct.
Barrister Saif further pointed out that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, having distanced himself from PTI during the passage of the 26th constitutional amendment, now has a timely opportunity to uphold political ethics by surrendering his own claim to reserved seats. “By adopting this principled stance, he can set a new benchmark for political morality,” Saif argued.
This statement comes amid ongoing legal disputes over the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) delay and reluctance to allocate reserved seats to PTI—despite a Supreme Court ruling in July 2024 affirming PTI’s entitlement under constitutional law. The KP government is reportedly preparing to pursue legal action in the Peshawar High Court, accusing the ECP of contempt of court and violation of constitutional obligations.
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