Election organising authority announces reserved verdict, says party\u2019s polls were unlawful
\nISLAMABAD
\nThe Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday evening stripped off the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic \u2018bat\u2019 symbol \u2014 a sign that depicts its founder, Imran Khan\u2019s former life of cricket.
\nAnnouncing its reserved verdict, a five-member ECP bench \u2014 headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja \u2014 declared PTI\u2019s intra-party elections unlawful.
\nThe 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.
\nThis serves as a major blow to the party as it gears up for the February 8, 2024, elections, with its founder \u2014 PTI\u2019s voter driving force \u2014 already behind for months \u2014 and his release does not seem soon.
\n\u201cPTI has not complied with our directions […] and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019, and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017,\u201d the order read.
\nGeo News reported that with the elections being declared unlawful, Barrister Gohar Khan, who replaced Khan as the party\u2019s chairman, is no longer the party\u2019s top head.
\nThe 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\u2019s decision.
\nThe 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.
\nPolitical analyst Mazhar Abbas told Geo.tv that the election commission has \u201cnever\u201d declared any political party\u2019s internal polls unlawful, noting that it seems like the PTI is \u201cunder attack\u201d.
\n\u201cThis has never happened. Symbols have been taken back [..] but this is the first time that the ECP has given an order on a party\u2019s intra-party polls,\u201d Abbas said, adding that parties have opted for alternate methods, as it happened in 1985\u2019s polls, so the PTI would also have to come up with a strategy.
\nHe noted that with the power of social media, if PTI\u2019s candidates run as independents, the party could disseminate information about their symbols and the names of the people.
\n\u201cBut one thing is for sure: This election is getting harder and harder for PTI,\u201d he added.
\nIn response, PTI has announced knocking on the door of the courts to seek relief \u2014 and the decision will have to be on Saturday as if the deadline expires, there\u2019s nothing that they can do to get the bat symbol.
\n\u201cWe will not boycott the elections […] we have a plan B,\u201d Barrister Gohar told Geo News, without elaborating what the strategy was, as his party remains under immense pressure after back-to-back challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Election organising authority announces reserved verdict, says party\u2019s polls were unlawful ISLAMABAD The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday evening stripped off the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic \u2018bat\u2019 symbol \u2014 a sign that depicts its founder, Imran Khan\u2019s former life of cricket. Announcing its reserved verdict, a five-member ECP bench \u2014 headed by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":376124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-376104","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n