Sunni Ittehad Council Strengthens as 292 Independent Candidates Join the Party

In a significant political development, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has expanded its ranks with the inclusion of 292 independent candidates who emerged victorious in the recent general elections held on February 9.

The new members, hailing from the National Assembly and various provincial assemblies, made their allegiance to SIC official on Wednesday. The National Assembly saw 86 independent members pledging their support to SIC.

In the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, SIC’s influence grew with the addition of 107 independent winners. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly contributed 90 independents to SIC’s growing strength, while nine members from the Sindh provincial assembly also joined the council.

The SIC wasted no time in submitting the list of its new members, along with their affidavits, to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This move came on the last day for independent candidates to affiliate themselves with any political party.

Earlier in the week, SIC approached the ECP with a request to allocate the seats reserved for women and minorities to the party. This request was made in the wake of the decision by independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to join the religious party.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar announced that the party-supported independents had submitted their applications to the election body, expressing their intent to join the SIC.