PTI symbol stripping case; PHC adjourns hearing

Humayun Khan

PESHAWAR: A divisional of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprised of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali adjourned hearing till 9.00am today (on Wednesday) in plea against Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to declare PTI intra-party polls null and void as well as stripping it bat as electoral symbol, on Tuesday.

On December 26, the high court announced the verdict on Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI’s) petition challenging the ECP’s verdict, which had stripped PTI of using the ‘bat’ symbol. During the hearing Qazi Jawad and Naveed Akhtar advocates on behalf PTI appeared before court Sikandar Bashir represented ECP today.

“Can the ECP approach the court against the high court’s ruling?” questioned PTI’s lawyer. He further said that the PTI wants the ECP to conduct free and fair elections.

It worthy to mention that ECP had filed a review petition in the high court against its December 26 decision which had suspended the ECP’s order and restored the party’s ‘bat’ symbol till a final decision on the matter.

The ECP, in its order, had declared PTI’s intra-party polls “illegal” and seized its election symbol of the ‘bat’ symbol. Following its order, the PTI approached the PHC seeking restoration of its party symbol ahead of the general elections slated for February 8. In its petition, the ECP then requested the court to review the PTI’s intra-party elections and its decision related to the election symbol. PHC’s divisional bench adjourned furthering till today 9.00am (on Wednesday) after completion of PTI’s lawyers’ arguments while ECP counsel will argue the plea today.

Meanwhile, PHC Election Tribunals had accepted eight appeals of PTI’s candidates from different constituencies by revoking Returning Officers’ decisions. PTI’s NA31 candidate Shandana Gulzar along with Shehryar Afridi and others had filed appeals against Returning Officers’ decisions for rejecting their nomination papers for general election scheduled on 8th February 2024.