Declaring decision of Election Commission of Pakistan incorrect on Wednesday Peshawar High Court restored election symbol ‘Bat’ for Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf.
A division bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising Justices Ijaz Anwar Khan and Arshad Ali announced that PTI was a political party and entitled of an election symbol. The bench announced verdict following the hearing of PTI’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision declaring the intra-party election of PTI as null and void and revoking their electoral symbol ‘bat’. The court directed the ECP to issue a certificate to the PTI and suspended the decision that stripped the party of its symbol. The court passed the judgment after hearing arguments by the counsels of the ECP and the PTI.
Counsel for the PTI, Barrister Ali Zafar declared that the judgment of the PHC was a victory of law and the Constitution. Senator Ali Zafar and Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan termed the Peshawar High Court verdict reinstating the bat symbol as a victory for democracy.
Talking to the media after the verdict at PHC, they said that now no one can stop PTI from winning elections due to people’s support. Barrister Gohar said that party tickets will be given on merit, and now PTI will contest elections on its symbol, the bat. A larger number of members of PTI, including lawyers, and workers were present on the occasion, celebrating the verdict with cheers and slogans. The Peshawar High Court reinstated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ‘bat’ symbol overturning the Election Commission of Pakistan’s ruling. The division bench said that PTI is entitled to the election symbol strictly in terms of Sections 215 and 217 red with any other enabling provision of the Election Act and Elections Rules, 2017.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition pertaining to the election symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as withdrawn. A three-member bench of the top court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa heard the petition of PTI seeking restoration of the election symbol ‘bat’.
