PTI-backed independent candidates to join Sunni Ittehad Council

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: PTI-backed independent candidates, who claimed victory from the National Assembly, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies in the general elections, will join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as a party, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced on Monday.

PTI’s announcement followed a formal agreement with the SIC.

“Our successful candidates have submitted affidavits with us and today we are announcing that PTI-backed candidates are joining the Sunni Ittehad Council,” Gohar stated during a press conference.

He mentioned that the reserved seats in the federal legislature and provincial legislatures were allotted according to the strength of political parties in the houses.

“Therefore, to secure our reserved seats and shield our members, we have made a formal agreement under which our candidates will join the SIC,” Gohar said, adding, “The PTI will submit the same documentation to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today.”

Gohar further said that the ECP would be asked to allocate the reserved seats according to party strength through a written request.

Echoing similar sentiments, PTI leader Omar Ayub added that joining the SIC would increase the party’s strength in the National Assembly.

Ayub, who is PTI’s nominee for the position of prime minister, said that after making this move, his party would be in a position to form government.

He added that the PTI wanted unity in Pakistan and the continuation of the democratic process.

Ayub also stated that getting the PTI founder and leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Parvez Elahi, and others out of jail would their first priority.