PTI to move SC for "bat" symbol after PHC order

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced to approach Supreme Court (SC) against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict, restoring Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order which had stripped the party of its electoral symbol ‘bat’, ARY News reported.

Talking to journalists, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan dubbed the PHC’s verdict “biggest reflection of the ECP’s biasness”, saying that it has decided to approach Supreme Court (SC) against the today’s order.

Gohar Khan questioned over the “legitimacy of election” after the ECP deemed the PTI’s intra-party polls “unconstitutional” and revoked the party’s iconic ‘bat’ electoral symbol. “If you take away the ‘bat’, the world will not recognise your election,” he said.

He said that the electoral watchdog was “chasing the case” like it had never done so in the past, urging the Supreme Court (SC) to “do us this kindness and listen to us,”.

Meanwhile, the PTI chief also said that his party would not boycott the election. “We will boycott [the polls] under any circumstances,” he said, adding: “We will urge the SC — the ‘bat’ is not necessary, give us some other symbol.

“If the Supreme Court does not restore the bat, all the PTI candidates would the contest elections independently,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) revoked the stay order and restored the ECP decision to declare PTI intra-party polls null and void and stripping it of its election symbol — bat.

On December 26, the high court announced the verdict on PTI’s petition challenging the ECP’s verdict, which had stripped PTI of using the ‘bat’ symbol.

A single-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Khan announced the reserved verdict on a review plea filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the January 26 single-member bench order.

ECP verdict

On December 2, the ECP had nullified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s intra-party elections, for the third time since last year, declaring the PTI ineligible for obtaining its traditional electoral symbol of ‘bat’.

In its verdict, the ECP said, “So keeping in view the clear mandate of Elections Act 2017 – it is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution 2019 and Elections Act 2017, and Election Rules, 2017. Therefore, the certificate dated 4th December, 2023 and Form-65 filed by the alleged chairman, is hereby regretted and rejected accordingly”.

PTI had challenged the ECP verdict in Peshawar High Court.

PTI’s intraparty elections, in which Barrister Gohar Khan was elected as chairman of the party, were held on December 2.

The polls had drawn a sharp criticism as estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar announced that he would challenge the entire process. He had alleged that the PTI had carried out a selection process aimed at throwing out party workers to give the reins to a few lawyers.