- Says party failed to hold intra-party polls by its constitution, 2019, and Election Act, 2017
- Barrister Gohar rules out polls boycott, saying to move high court against verdict
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday stripped of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of ‘bat’ symbol as well as chairman by declaring intra-party elections “unlawful and against the party’s constitution.”
A five-member ECP bench — headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja — announced the verdict reserved a couple days ago upon completion of the hearing, nullifying the PTI’s intra-party elections.
The ECP declared the 11-page order on 13 identical petitions including of Akbar S Babar, a former PTI member, who claimed that the PTI did not stage the elections in line with the rules.
#ECP pic.twitter.com/hEmV2J6amB
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) December 22, 2023
The verdict comes as another blow to the party already battling a multitude of odds in the run-up to the scheduled February 8 elections with its founder — PTI’s voter driving force — already behind bars for months — and his release does not seem soon.
“PTI 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,” the order read.
Order regarding PTI intra party election and ineligibility to obtain symbol bathttps://t.co/ligBkvyVfF
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) December 22, 2023
With the elections declared as unlawful, Barrister Gohar Khan, who replaced Khan as the party’s chairman, is no longer the party’s head.
The party also seems to be running out of time as the extended deadline for filing nomination papers expires on Sunday and the party only has one day (Saturday) to move courts against the ECP’s decision.
The decision also came hours after PTI representatives held a meeting with the ECP officials following a Supreme Court order to remove the party’s reservations regarding the lack of a level playing field.
“So keeping in view, the clear mandate of Elections Act, 2017 read with PTI constitution 2019, it is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019 and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017,” the ECP’s written order read.
“Therefore, the certificate dated 4th December, 2023 and Form-65 filed by the alleged Chairman, is hereby regretted and rejected accordingly. The provisions of Section 215 of the Election Act, 2017 are hereby invoked and PTI is hereby declared ineligible to obtain, the Election Symbol, for which they have applied for.”
The development comes a day after the Peshawar High Court ordered the ECP to settle the issues of the PTI’s intra-party polls and its electoral symbol by Friday (today).
The PTI had also asked the PHC to direct the ECP to publish the results of its internal elections on the commission’s website – a step required by the party to contest the next general polls.
The PTI has been complaining repeatedly that it is being targeted and not being given a level playing field, and just hours before the order, the ECP had assured the party it would be provided equal opportunities.
Political analyst Mazhar Abbas told Geo.tv 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 noted 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 PTI,” he added.
In response, PTI has announced knocking on the door of the courts 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.
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 the party of its iconic election symbol — ‘bat’.
“We will not boycott the elections […] we have a plan B,” Barrister Gohar told the media, without elaborating what the strategy was, as his party remains under immense pressure after back-to-back challenges.
Meanwhile, the PTI termed the move another part of the “London plan”. “Ladla [Nawaz] Sharif cannot compete on ground, he knows he stands no chance to win when the voters are Pakistanis,” the party wrote on its X handle.
Ladla Sharif cannot compete on ground , he knows he stands no chance to win when the voters are Pakkstanis. This yet another part of the famous London Plan, a disgusting and shameful attempt to stop PTI from election.
InshAllah, “the bat is not dead. Long live the bat”. We will… https://t.co/N0cm7rGjJU
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 22, 2023
“This yet another part of the famous London Plan, a disgusting and shameful attempt to stop PTI from election.”
