The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party-led government on Monday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its decision to allocate reserved seats to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

A 13-member full court in a key judgment on July 12 ruled that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was eligible for the seats reserved for women and minorities in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

The case gave a major boost to PTI and its founder Khan while the government criticised the apex court and decided to challenge it.

Following the ruling, PTI will become the largest party in the National Assembly as its seats will likely soar from 86 to 109, after it gains 23 reserved seats, Pakistani media reports said. 

In the review petition, the PML-N stated the PTI had not requested for specific seats while the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which had filed the petition, was a separate political entity.

It further contended that the independent candidates have already joined the Sunni Ittehad Council and as per the July 12 decision, the members who were declared as part of PTI have declared themselves independent in the papers.

The PML-N in the review petition took the stand that the July 12 decision of the Supreme Court regarding specific seats is against the law asking independent members to join a political party within 15 days.

It has been argued in the petition that the Constitution and law are clear that independent candidates can join a political party within three days.

It is also mentioned in the petition that the court did not hear the arguments of the parties while giving the decision in favour of the PTI.

In this review appeal, it has been requested that the Supreme Court should review the decision of the specific seats and suspend the July 12 decision pending the decision on the review application.

The latest development comes as Information Minister Atta Tarar dropped the bombshell about banning the PTI, creating political uncertainty which may further exacerbate the economic situation of the country. Tarar in the controversial move announced the government will ban jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and slap cases against him and two of his senior party colleagues for treason.