PTI has made allegations that there are conspiracies to take away its electoral symbol and to exclude the party from the upcoming general elections on February 8. The controversy stems from the Election Commission of Pakistan’s earlier decision to strip PTI of its symbol due to non-compliance with the Elections Act and the party’s constitution.
A verdict from the Peshawar High Court suspended the commission’s order and directed it to publish the certificate of PTI’s intra-party polls on its website. This decision was criticized by political leaders, including JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan mentioned that the ‘bat’ symbol represents the expectations of the Pakistani nation, and the party is urging the judiciary to intervene in the matter to avoid exclusion from the electoral process.
Furthermore, PTI leader Latif Khosa lamented the leniencies shown to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in the nomination process. He emphasized the importance of an electoral symbol for the identification of a political party, particularly in areas with low literacy rates.
In addition, the Islamabad High Court has granted PTI leaders and lawyers permission to hold election meetings with Imran Khan in Adiala Jail. Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb passed the order in response to a petition filed by Imran. The court has also raised concerns about the impartiality of the caretaker government during elections.
Overall, PTI is facing obstacles related to the symbolism for its candidates and is seeking intervention from the judiciary to uphold its electoral rights.