PTI Makes Last-Minute Effort, Appeals to SC for Return of ‘Bat’ Symbol
On Thursday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took its final attempt to reclaim its iconic ‘bat’ electoral symbol before the February 8 polls, as the symbol holds crucial importance for voters in identifying their preferred candidate on election day. The party believes that the absence of a unified symbol may lead to confusion among voters, potentially impacting its electoral performance.
The move comes a day after the Peshawar High Court (PHC) lifted the stay order, restoring the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to invalidate PTI’s intra-party polls and withdraw its election symbol. The PHC’s decision was based on the grounds that the earlier stay order had created obstacles in the smooth election process mandated by the ECP.
If the Supreme Court does not reinstate PTI’s electoral symbol, the party will have to contest the upcoming elections without the ‘bat’ symbol, which PTI leaders describe as a “major setback.”
The PHC’s decision on January 3 overturned its earlier verdict, which had suspended the ECP’s order and reinstated the party’s ‘bat’ symbol until a final decision. The ECP had initially declared PTI’s intra-party polls as “illegal” on December 22, resulting in the loss of the ‘bat’ symbol.
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, chief of the think tank Pildat, stated that PTI candidates would now have to contest elections independently due to the recent PHC order.
Outside the Supreme Court, PTI’s former chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan requested an expedited hearing of the plea and expressed concerns about potential “horse trading” in the absence of PTI’s electoral symbol, as reserved seats are allocated based on the party’s representation.
“We request the court to hear the plea at the earliest, if not today, then tomorrow,” said Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, emphasizing the Supreme Court’s role in facilitating smooth elections.
