ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday evening stripped off the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol — a sign that depicts its founder, Imran Khan’s former life of cricket.
In its ruling, the ECP declared the PTI’s intra-party elections null and void, saying the polls were not conducted as per the rules set by the constitution.
The Election Commission reserved its verdict on Monday, on a set of petitions challenging the PTI’s intra-party elections.
A 5-member commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, had conducted the hearing.
During the hearing, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan, Barrister Ali Zafar, Babar Awan and others attended the proceedings.
Speaking to the media outside the commission on Monday, Gohar said that the intra-party polls issue had been ongoing for a year now. He had urged the ECP to announce the ruling, as the deadline for the filing of nominations for the general election is 22 December.
He said if this matter was not concluded, then there would be horse-trading during the polls.
DOC-20231222-WA0094.PTI polls
On November 23, the ECP annulled PTI’s intra-party elections held in June last year, and asked the party to hold the fresh polls within twenty days if it wanted to retain its “bat” symbol in the forthcoming general elections slated for 8 February 2024.
The elections were held on 3 December, resulting in Barrister Gohar Khan replacing Imran Khan as PTI chairman.
