ECP revokes PTI’s ‘bat’ symbol

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday evening stripped off the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol — a sign that depicts its founder, Imran Khan’s former life of cricket.

Announcing its reserved verdict, a five-member ECP bench — headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja — declared PTI’s intra-party elections unlawful. The 11-page order was announced on the petition of Akbar S Babar, a former PTI member, who claimed that the PTI did not stage the elections in line with the rules.

This serves as a major blow to the former ruling party as it gears up for the February 8 elections, with its founder — PTI’s voter driving force — already behind bars for months — and his release does not seem soon. “The PTI has not complied with our directions […] and failed to hold the intra-party election in accordance with the PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019, and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017,” the order read.

The elections being declared unlawful, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who replaced Khan as the party’s chairman, is no longer the party’s top head. The party also seems to be running out of time as the extended deadline for submitting the nomination papers expires on Sunday and the party only has one day (Saturday) to move courts against the ECP’s decision.

The PTI has complained repeatedly that it is being targeted and not being given a level-playing field, but today, just hours before the order, the ECP had assured the party it would be provided equal opportunities. Political analyst Mazhar Abbas told media that the election commission has “never” declared any political party’s internal polls unlawful, noting that it seems like the PTI is “under attack”.

“This has never happened. Symbols have been taken back [..] but this is the first time that the ECP has given an order on a party’s intra-party polls,” Abbas said, adding that parties have opted for alternate methods, as it happened in 1985’s polls, so the PTI would also have to come up with a strategy. He added that with the power of social media, if PTI’s candidates run as independents, the party could disseminate information about their symbols and the names of the people. “But one thing is for sure: This election is getting harder and harder for the PTI.”

In response, the PTI has announced knocking at the door of the high court to seek relief — and the decision will have to be on Saturday as if the deadline expires, there’s nothing that they can do to get the bat symbol. “We will not boycott the elections […] we have a plan B,” Barrister Gohar told media, without elaborating what the strategy was, as his party remains under immense pressure after back-to-back challenges.

Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, a former secretary of the ECP, told media that following the commission’s order, PTI’s members would have to run in the general elections as independent candidates. “Since the PTI’s intra-party elections were rejected for the third time, its [PTI’s] candidates will have to contest the polls independently,” he said.

PTI to knock at court’s doors against ECP decision: Terming it a “conspiracy” against the ex-ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) now-former chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Friday announced that they would approach a high court against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision stripping off the party’s iconic election symbol — ‘bat’.

Talking to media, Barrister Gohar said his party already had concerns about the ECP from day one. He accused the electoral watchdog did not monitor any other party as it focused on his party’s matters. “We held the intra-party elections as par the party law and constitution. We had asked the ECP to inform us which law or section of the constitution had been violated during the PTI intra-party polls.”

In its reply filed in the Peshawar High Court (PHC), the ECP did not say a single word about it, the PTI leader said and asked which Section of the Elections Act 2017 was violated by his party. Gohar termed the ECP’s decision “political and based on personalities”, saying that they had conducted the intra-party polls in line with the law and the constitution.

“The ECP already determined to take back the ‘bat’ symbol from the PTI.” He added that the electoral watchdog had never monitored other parties’ intra-party elections as it did during the PTI’s. “It is a conspiracy. You are depriving a big political party of its election symbol and [compelling] all of its candidates to go into the general elections as independent candidates.”

“Currently, there are 70 reserved seats in the National Assembly. The total number of reserved seats in Pakistan is 227. The seats are divided among those parties who have election symbols [as par their parties’ strength in the assemblies].” The lawmakers elected on reserved seats play a crucial role during the elections for the slots of president, prime minister, chief minister and Senate chairman, he added.

“The conspiracy was hatched to confuse PTI’s supporters and candidates during the upcoming general elections.” To another query, the PTI leader said, “Did any members of the ECP ask any question which was not addressed by the former ruling party?”