As many as 86 of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed elected members of the National Assembly submitted their declaration certificates to join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

At least 105 elected members of the Punjab Assembly submitted joining certificates, 85 from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and 9 lawmakers from Punjab have also submitted their declaration, according to a statement by the PTI Secretariate.

The move came after PTI on February 19 announced to ally with the SIC under which the party candidates would join the religio-political party in the national and provincial assemblies to secure reserved seats.

“We have decided that in the national and provincial assembly will hopefully join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC),” PTI leader Gohar Khan said at a press conference flanked by Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Chairman Allama Raja Nasir and SIC Chairman Mohammad Hamid Raza.

Read: PTI not thinking of mass protest for now: Barrister Gohar

To secure reserved seats and form a government, it was mandatory for candidates backed by Imran Khan’s party to join a political party.

A solid strength would also help the party in having the required legislation passed from the House.