Opposition in KP Assembly Now 20 Members Short of Simple Majority After Reserved Seats Restored

Peshawar:The opposition alliance in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly has gained ground, now needing just 20 more members to achieve a simple majority of 73 in the 145-member house, following the restoration of reserved seats as per the Supreme Court’s directive.

Currently, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government holds 92 seats, while the opposition’s total has climbed to 53 after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reinstated the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities.

Updated Party Positions in KP Assembly:
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F):
7 elected members + 10 women + 2 minority seats = 19 seats

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N):
6 elected + 9 reserved seats = 15 seats

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP):
4 elected + 6 women + 1 minority = 11 seats

PTI Parliamentarians:
2 elected + 1 reserved = 3 seats

Awami National Party (ANP):
2 elected + 1 reserved = 3 seats

Independents:
Hisham Inamullah and Ali Haider, both independents, are aligned with the opposition alliance.

In total, 115 out of 145 assembly members are currently filled, including 26 women and 4 minority reserved seats.

According to the opposition leader, while the increase in opposition strength is significant, no formal decision has yet been made to challenge the government. However, in the recent budget session, he did hint at the potential for political change, stating:

“This is PTI’s 12th and final budget. If the government improves governance and law and order, we are not eager to bring it down.”

With the gap narrowing and the political landscape shifting, the coming weeks could prove critical for the future of the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.