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PESHAWAR, Jul 03 (APP):The political landscape in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has shifted dramatically following the restoration of reserved seats, strengthening the opposition and altering the number game within the provincial legislature.
The Election Commission has officially notified 21 women and 4 minority reserved seats, significantly bolstering the opposition, whose strength has now risen to 52 members. This change is expected to increase pressure on the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) has emerged as the largest opposition party with 19 seats, including eight women and two minority seats restored under the new notification.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) now holds 16 seats after the return of six women and one minority seat, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has strengthened its position with five women and one minority seat, bringing its total to 11.
Awami National Party (ANP) and PTI Parliamentarians (PTI-P) were each allotted one reserved seat.
Despite these gains by the opposition, PTI still maintains a numerical lead with 94 seats, although 35 of its members are independents, including Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. However, legal uncertainties have surfaced as many of these independents did not submit affidavits of political affiliation within the mandatory three-day period following the election.
In a strong rebuttal to opposition efforts, Chief Minister Gandapur issued a bold challenge, saying,“I dare the opposition to topple my government. If they succeed, I will quit politics.”
He claimed that despite the reinstatement of reserved seats, his government remains stable and secure.
This development follows a major ruling by the Supreme Court, which overturned its earlier July 12 verdict and upheld the Peshawar High Court’s decision rejecting reserved seats for the Sunni Ittehad Council. As a result, the council has no representation in the Assembly.
The court ruling is being viewed as a significant victory for the opposition, fueling speculation over a possible no-confidence motion against the provincial government in the coming days.
However, CM Gandapur’s confident statements and PTI’s numerical edge present a formidable challenge for the opposition.
With shifting alliances, legal ambiguity, and growing political tension, the next few weeks may prove decisive for the future of KP government.