Supreme Court reserved seats

The Pakistani government has introduced a controversial bill to amend the Elections Act 2017, which aims to prevent independent candidates from changing their party affiliation after elections. This legislation has drawn heavy criticism from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which claims it is an attempt to undermine a recent Supreme Court ruling that favored PTI regarding reserved seats for women and minorities. PTI leaders, including Barrister Latif Khosa and Gohar Ali Khan, have labeled the bill as contempt of court and plan to challenge it legally. The bill also stipulates that political parties must submit their lists for reserved seats on time or forfeit eligibility. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the bill, asserting clarity on the matter of party affiliations among lawmakers. The proposed changes could significantly affect the political landscape in Pakistan if enacted.