Twenty-five members elected on reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were administered the oath at the Governor House on Sunday following a directive from the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi administered the oath during a ceremony held in Peshawar attended by newly elected women and minority members of the provincial legislature.
The event followed a prolonged deadlock in the assembly after a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) member pointed out the absence of quorum, effectively delaying the process.
According to officials, the oath-taking was originally scheduled to be held during the KP Assembly session earlier in the day.
However, the session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati was adjourned shortly after it commenced when PTI member Sher Ali Afridi flagged the quorum issue. The session was subsequently postponed until July 24.
This disruption sparked concern among opposition parties, who moved the PHC, urging the court to ensure the timely swearing-in of members elected on reserved seats—a prerequisite for holding the Senate elections scheduled for Sunday (July 21).
The petitioners argued that the delay could hinder the electoral process for 11 vacant Senate seats from the province.
In response, PHC Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah nominated Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to carry out the oath-taking procedure. The court also directed the KP Assembly Secretary to cooperate and provide the roll of members for the administration of oath.
A total of 21 women and four members from minority communities took the oath at the Governor House. The female lawmakers included Farah Khan, Amna Sardar, Faiza Malik, Shazia Jadoon, Afshan Hussain, Jamila Paracha, Sonia Hussain, Bilqis, Sitara Afreen, Aiman Jalil Jan, Madiha Gul Afridi, Rabia Shaheen, Niloofar Begum, Naheed Noor, Shazia Tahmas, Sajida Tabassum, Meher Sultana, Ashbar Jan Jadoon, Farzana Shireen, Khadija Bibi, and Shahida Waheed.
Among those sworn in on minority seats were Askar Pervez, Gurpal Singh Afridi, Suresh Kumar, and Bihari Lal. Nadia Sher of PTI-Parliamentarians also took oath as a member of the KP Assembly.
Speaking after the ceremony, Governor Kundi criticised the obstruction, terming it “a shameful act” and a blow to democratic principles. “Preventing elected representatives from taking their constitutional oath is regrettable. The PTI-led government has once again attempted to derail the democratic process,” he said.
The Governor expressed gratitude to the PHC for granting him the authority to administer the oath, adding that the sanctity of democratic norms must be protected at all costs.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had earlier voiced concern over the delay, writing to the PHC and requesting intervention. It warned that failure to administer the oath could jeopardise the Senate elections due the following day, as the participation of a full house is a constitutional requirement.
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