In a significant setback to Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, a high court in Pakistan on Wednesday reinstated the top election commission's order, declaring the PTI's intra-party polls as void and revoking its distinctive cricket bat electoral symbol.
The verdict, announced by Peshawar High Court judge Ejaz Khan, came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had rejected the PTI's intra-party elections on December 22, stripping the party of its cricket bat symbol. The PTI challenged this decision in the Peshawar High Court, which, on December 26, suspended the ECP's declaration of the intra-party polls as unconstitutional and the subsequent revocation of the party's symbol.
During the hearing, PTI's counsel argued that the ECP was not a judicial institution and seeking court intervention against its own verdict amounted to contempt of court. The PTI contended that a conspiracy led by all parties, except the PPP, aimed to sideline the PTI from the electoral battle, emphasizing the constitutional mandate for free and fair elections.
In response, the ECP lawyer maintained that the PTI had secured a stay order against the commission's verdict, asserting their authority to file a writ.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, a day before the court's decision, had announced that the party would participate in the general elections, even if it didn't secure the cricket bat as its electoral symbol. He emphasized the party's commitment to participating in the elections and rejected any dispute with the military establishment.
Gohar Khan also expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment meted out to the PTI, terming it "unprecedented" and calling on the Supreme Court to address the lack of a level playing field for the party.
This development unfolded against a backdrop of increased pressure on the PTI to receive fair treatment in the lead-up to the elections, especially following the May 9 violence involving PTI supporters attacking military installations. Despite the challenges, the PTI remained steadfast in its commitment to participating in the upcoming elections.
(With Agency Inputs)
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