ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said that he completed the consultation process with the PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan and the allotment of tickets would be finalized within two days.
During his information interaction with journalists here on Wednesday, PTI Chairman stated that he held meeting with PTI Founding Chairman pertaining to the allotment of party’s tickets to get his final nod about the potential party’s candidates for the much-needed
general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.
Barrister Gohar expressed his disappointment over the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict, restoring Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order which had stripped the party of its iconic electoral symbol ‘bat’ because it was not just the PTI’s electoral symbol but was also the symbol of the expectations of millions of Pakistani people.
He said that Imran Khan sacrificed his party chairmanship for protecting the party’s electoral symbol “bat” for the people of the country, for democracy and the prosperity and development of Pakistan.
PTI Chairman lamented that the electoral watchdog was chasing the case like it had never done so in the past, urging the Supreme Court (SC) to take the needful and immediately intervene to thwart the conspiracy to deprive the PTI of its electoral symbol to block the way of horse-trading to save democracy in the country.
He reminded that the apex court had already settled that snatching the electoral symbol was tantamount to dissolving a political party and this right only lies with the apex court in Article 17 of the Constitution.
However, he stated: “If you take away our electoral symbol, will all of them contest as independent candidates? If this happens, who will be responsible for horse-trading after the polls?”
PTI Chairman asked that there a total of 227 reserved who played an important role in the election of the president and prime minister, which would be gone to the party contesting elections on electoral symbol, adding that the PTI could not be deprived of 227 reserved seats come what may.
Barrister Gohar Khan made it clear that all the brutal and unlawful tactics were being used against PTI and its leaders and workers, which clearly indicated that these people were even scared of their under-19 team.
PTI Chairman pointed out that look at the situation how PTI was being treated for the last over a year, as the ECP was being used to corner PTI at all costs, which was no service to the country because giving government to a party having 20 or 25 percent public support against the party having support of over 70 percent of the nation would be a great injustice to the country and the nation.
He recalled that the PTI was conducted the most transparent intra-party elections but out of the total 175 registered political parties, the electoral body only targeted PTI, clearly depicting that all these unjust actions were taken to sideline and push against the wall the most popular political party of the country.
However, he stated that all these biased, illegal and constitutional measures were being taken to deny PTI its electoral symbol “bat”, which put serious questions on the transparency and fairness of elections.
PTI Chairman went on to say that that the PHC’s verdict was the clear reflection of the electoral watchdog’ biasness and prejudice, announcing to that the party would move the top court against this decision.
Barrister Gohar Khan emphasized that if you take away the “bat”, the world will not recognise your election.
He expressed his optimisms that the apex court would get them the “bat” back, demanding that the SC to instantly intervene before it was too late.
However, he reiterated that the PTI would not boycott the election and they would contest the polls under any circumstances.
PTI Chairman said that the entire state machinery was brought to a standstill to oust the PTI of electoral race because they were well-aware of the fact that PTI would trounce its political opponents conveniently if free, fair and transparent polls were held on February 8, 2024.
However, Barrister Gohar Khan appealed that the PTI’s workers should remain peaceful, calm and focus and did not retaliate violently to foil the attempts to the elements who hell-bent to damage the country and democracy.
