By Imtiaz Hussain Abro.
PTI launches election campaign with a strong demonstration of support in Karachi following a setback.
A day after losing the iconic bat symbol, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) initiated its election campaign on Sunday with a rally at Karachi’s Sea View beach, spearheaded by central leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat.
Founded by the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, PTI faced a legal setback on Saturday as the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), resulting in the loss of the party’s electoral symbol just days before the upcoming general elections on February 8.
Following the apex court’s decision, the deadline for the allotment of electoral symbols to political parties expired. The ECP subsequently assigned different symbols to PTI candidates, who will now participate in the February 8 elections as independent contenders.
In Karachi, Marwat led the party’s inaugural election rally, drawing a substantial crowd. The event was announced by PTI leader Raja Azhar, who revealed that the campaign would commence from Sea View, a popular recreational spot for Karachi’s residents.
However, Azhar expressed dissatisfaction with the police for placing barricades on the routes leading to the venue. Subsequently, the traffic police clarified that the main track along the Sea View beach was temporarily blocked due to the political rally but was promptly reopened. They confirmed that there were no longer any barricades on the roads leading to the location.
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