By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A high court in Pakistan on Tuesday blocked a decision by the country’s election commission that had declared the internal elections of the party, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, as unconstitutional and stripped it of its ‘bat’ symbol.
The Peshawar High Court issued the order in response to a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict that had disqualified the party from using its symbol in the general elections scheduled for February.
The ECP’s decision came after a dissident leader of PTI party challenged its internal elections, which were held earlier this month, alleging that they were flawed, rigged, and violated the party’s constitution and the election laws.
The PTI had claimed that its internal elections were transparent and democratic and that the election commission had no jurisdiction to interfere in its affairs.
The ‘bat’ symbol has been associated with the PTI since its inception in 1996 and is widely recognized by its supporters across the country.
The court said that the last date for allotting the electoral symbols was January 13 and that it had heard the arguments of all the parties involved in the case.
“PTI lawyers informed [the court] that intra-party polls were carried out over the orders of the election commission,” the court said in its order. “PTI lawyers argued that according to the Constitution, any citizen can form his party or be a member of any party.”
The court directed that notices be issued to the election commission and other respondents in the case. A two-member bench to resume proceedings on PTI’s plea challenging ECP’s order against intra-party polls after winter vacations.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan hailed the court’s decision as a blow to the “conspiracy” against his party.
“The judiciary has not only restored the symbol but also restored the confidence of the people,” he told reporters in Peshawar, flanked by another senior party leader Barrister Ali Zafar.
Gohar Khan said the ECP had discriminated against his party and put its preference list on hold, while ignoring the violations of other parties.
He expressed hope that the ECP order would be quashed at the next hearing and urged the ECP to ensure fair and transparent elections. “We are being pushed against the wall but we said that we have faith in the judiciary.”
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