PTI eyes 'batsman' symbol as 'bat' faces uncertainty

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) argues its case before the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) for its “bat symbol”, the party on Saturday went ahead with its 'Plan B', directing its candidates to contents the upcoming polls on another party's — “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (PTI-N)” — tickets.

“Those who have tickets for ‘Tehreek Insaaf Nazriati’ should submit them immediately,” a statement from the party read, directing its national and provincial assembly candidates to submit the declarations to the returning officer, Geo News reported.

In conversation with reporters in Islamabad, PTI spokesperson Shoaib Shaheen said party candidates can submit their nomination papers under PTI-N’s name.

“In line with the law, the ECP can allot tickets to any part. The returning officers are bound [by the law] to issue tickets for whichever party the candidates ask them to,” the PTI leader said.

He lamented that, at times, the authorities “steal” the bat electoral symbol from the party, and at times, they do the same with their batsman symbol.

Reacting to the development, PTI-N Chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar categorically turned down the possibility of any alliance with the PTI due to its “corrupt” incumbent members.

“Everyone in the PTI’s team is corrupt, I can't talk to them,” Dar said while speaking to Geo News.

Responding to a question whether his party would issue tickets to PTI candidates, Dar said: “[I] don’t want to comment on PTI’s founder [...] all of them are corrupt.”

“There can be no talks with them [the PTI]. Barrister Gohar and other shady individuals have hijacked the party,” he added.

The development comes as the former ruling party’s participation in the upcoming general elections — which are less than a month away — remains uncertain due to the ongoing saga surrounding its iconic electoral “bat” symbol.

The party has been engaged in a legal battle with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which had revoked its electoral symbol over irregularities in the intra-party elections — a move which would’ve prevented the party from contesting the polls altogether.

The PTI, however, moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the electoral body’s decision, which in response annulled the ECP’s “incorrect” decision and ordered the electoral watchdog to issue a certificate to the PTI and suspended the decision that stripped the party of its symbol.

“PTI is a political party entitled to an election symbol,” the verdict by a two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Arshad Ali read.

Subsequently, the ECP challenged the PHC’s decision in the apex court and filed a petition seeking the provincial court’s decision to be overruled.

The case is currently being by the top court’s three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and consisting of Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarat Hilali — and its outcome is likely to have paramount repercussions for the PTI as if the court approves the ECP’s petition, the party would lose its “bat symbol” once again.

However, fearing the worst, the party has taken a preemptive step aimed at ensuring its participation in the polls slated for February 8, by choosing to contest the elections on another party’s symbol.

The move comes as the electoral body’s deadline for the allotment of electoral symbols to aspiring candidates ends today (Saturday). However, in a bid to facilitate the candidates, the ECP has extended the time saying that the nominees can get their election symbols allotted from returning officers till 7pm.

With such a short time left before the deadline, the PTI has complained of RO's not accepting tickets from its candidates — further adding to the already existing uncertainty surrounding its participation in the polls.

ECP hits back

Following the PTI’s announcement, the ECP also revised its strategy and barred returning officers (ROs) from allotting one party’s symbol to candidates of another.

In its order, signed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja and other members, the ECP revealed that it has received multiple applications from candidates trying to dupe the electoral body and violate the law with regard to the allotment of electoral symbols.

The electoral watchdog has ordered the ROs to not entertain a candidate’s request for allotment of the electoral symbol of a party other than which he belongs.

As per the Election Act, a candidate proves his political affiliation and cannot be associated with more than one party at any given time, the ECP’s order said.

Meanwhile, PTI’s Shaheen, in his application to the ECP, has urged the top electoral body to direct ROs to accept the PTI-N certificates issued by the party to its candidates.

It is pertinent to know that candidates are required to submit an affidavit to the ROs wherein they declare their party affiliation.