By Imtiaz Hussain Abro.
PHC set to hear PTI’s petition seeking to regain ‘bat’ symbol for upcoming elections.
The Peshawar High Court is scheduled to review the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision against the intra-party polls, deeming them unconstitutional, and the withdrawal of the bat symbol for the upcoming elections.
On Tuesday, PTI formally contested the ECP’s ruling on its intra-party elections and the allocation of the bat symbol, filing a petition before the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The party, led by Imran Khan, named the top electoral body as the respondent in the case and argued that those challenging their intra-party elections lacked standing, as they were not official party members.
The PTI’s legal counsel urged the court to assemble a bench comprising senior judges and promptly hear their application. PTI, in opposition to the ECP’s decision, asserted its legitimate right to participate in the forthcoming general election with the bat symbol.
Facing challenges from the electoral body, PTI leaders hinted at the possibility of filing a petition in the Peshawar High Court, expressing optimism that the court would nullify the ECP’s actions. The party’s chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, reportedly discussed the matter with Imran Khan while the latter was in prison and is expected to file the petition today.
In the previous week, the Election Commission declared PTI’s intra-party elections invalid and void, additionally ruling that Imran Khan’s party would not retain the ‘bat’ symbol for the February 8 general election. The ECP initiated action after taking note of PTI’s intra-party polls, in which Barrister Gohar Ali Khan secured the position of the party’s new chairman. These polls occurred on December 3, shortly after the ECP had invalidated the intra-party elections held in June 2022, instructing PTI to conduct fresh elections within 20 days or risk losing eligibility for the election symbol.
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