In a recent development, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to revoke the iconic ‘bat’ symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PHC took up PTI’s petition challenging the ECP’s nullification of intra-party polls, deeming them unconstitutional and contesting the revocation of the party’s distinctive electoral symbol.
Presided over by Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel, the hearing addressed PTI’s concerns regarding the ECP’s actions. The intra-party elections held on December 2 resulted in Barrister Gohar Khan being elected as the party’s chairman, following a nomination by PTI founder and former chairman Imran Khan. However, the process faced criticism from estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar, who vowed to challenge the entire procedure.
On December 2, the ECP nullified PTI’s intra-party elections for the third time in the past year, rendering the party ineligible to use its traditional ‘bat’ symbol. The ECP’s verdict cited non-compliance with the Elections Act 2017 and failure to conduct intra-party elections according to PTI’s prevailing Constitution 2019 and Election Rules 2017.
Former PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan announced the party’s decision to challenge the ECP’s ruling, declaring that a petition to reclaim the ‘bat’ symbol would be filed with the PHC or Supreme Court. He emphasized that the ECP’s actions seemed aimed at depriving PTI of its reserved seats.
This legal development underscores the ongoing tension within PTI and highlights the significance of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol in the country’s political landscape. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving political saga.
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