Imran Khan's PTI Loses its Iconic 'Bat' Symbol After Pak SC's Verdict | What Comes Next?

Islamab - In a major blow to Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday annulled Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) January 10 order and deprived former ruling party of its famous electoral symbol - bat - just days before country is scheduled to go to polls. A three-member bench which was heed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhamm Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali — announced verdict after a day-long hearing, Geo News reported. 

verdict from apex court came days after Peshawar High Court (PHC) ordered to reinstate “bat” as party's electoral symbol. In light of Peshawar verdict, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) filed a petition in Supreme Court calling PHC verdict “illegal, without any lawful authority and of no legal effect”. verdict means that PTI ticket holders would have to contest elections as independent candidates with ir respective symbols. contention over party symbol started in December last year after ECP barred party from using bat symbol citing irregularities in ir internal polls. electoral watchdog accused PTI of not complying with party's own constitution and election laws.

What happened at 2-day marathon hearing

While announcing party CJP dismissed PTI's claims that ECP is targeting party. Justice Isa mentioned that ECP has been calling upon PTI to hold its intra-party elections since May 24, 2021 - when party was in government in federal and some provinces. “refore, it cannot be stated that ECP was victimising PTI. Noneless, we wanted to satisfy ourselves that ECP h not acted mala fide of ulterior reason or that PTI was discriminated against; it transpired that ECP h passed orders against 13 or registered political parties which were far more severe than order passed against PTI," Justice Isa averred. “ECP wanted to ensure that PTI holds intra-party elections. mere production of a certificate stating that such elections were held would not suffice to establish that intra-party elections h been held when a challenge was thrown to such an assertion. Nor, in our opinion, should ECP concern itself with minor irregularities in holding of a political party’s elections. However, in instant case not even prima facie evidence was produced to show that a semblance of elections h been held," judgement furr res. 

court also mentioned that 14 PTI members, with stated credentials, h complained to ECP that elections h not been held. court noted that se complaints were “brushed aside" by party in ir writ petition by simply stating that members in question were not part of PTI and thus were not entitled to contest elections.  A day before verdict came out CJP Isa h observed that democracy was a fundamental right which should be present in both country and political party. 

PTI to file a review appeal against decision

Following verdict, PTI’s Barrister Gohar Khan stated that party would file an appeal against verdict and expressed hopes that it would be reversed. While speaking to media on Thursday, Gohar mentioned that withdrawal of party’s electoral symbol would le to loss of 227 reserve seats and went on to describe Pakistani system as “corrupt”. Gohar reiterated that none of 14 petitioners h ever been PTI members  “None of 837,950 members has raised objections on party polls," he stressed. “While we accept apex court’s decision, we are confident that people will respond to Imran’s call on election day," he ded. 

However, during hearing, apex court noted that election of Barrister Gohar as new chairman of party has become questionable as well. “Barrister Gohar’s own election has become questionable. If PTI founder h given a certificate, n it would have been anor situation,” chief justice remarked. In response to se remarks, PTI counsel responded that certificate needed to be issued by incumbent party chairman which was Imran Khan. party insisted that certificate could not be issued since former Pakistani premier is currently serving a prison sentence.