PTI asks candidates to submit nomination papers to ‘PTI-Nazriati’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) on Saturday turned to the symbol of “batsman” by executing its “plan B” and instructing its candidates to submit their PTI-Nazriati tickets to their respective returning officers (ROs).

In a post on X, the PTI said: “Whoever has PTI-Nazriati tickets should immediately submit them and take any kind of hindrance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and high courts.”

The party issued the directives while the Supreme Court heard ECP’s petition challenging the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to restore the PTI’s electoral symbol of “bat”.

Earlier, after sensing the danger of losing its iconic symbol, the party had chalked out its plan B: allying with its splinter PTI-Nazriati group to use the ‘batsman’ symbol for its candidates, said a senior PTI leader who declined to be named.

“After the ECP went to the Supreme Court against the decision of the PHC, the party’s leadership mulled over the option for an alternative electoral symbol,” he added.

He said that the “need was aggravated after remarks passed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa during Friday hearing”. He said that the “bat” and “batsman” symbols are similar, making it easier for voters to identify with PTI.

“The chairman of PTI-Nazriati, Akhtar Iqbal Dar, had agreed to issue tickets to PTI’s candidates on the symbol of batsman,” he added.

The PTI leadership had taken the decision to woo the Nazriati group, considering the possibility that the ECP would grant separate symbols to each party candidate, which would confuse voters.

“If the bat is denied, the PTI could inculcate easily in the voters’ minds to stamp on the batsman,” he added.

This is pertinent to mention that the PTI initially never wanted the “batsman” symbol allocated to its splinter group.

It had urged the ECP in June 2022 not to allot the symbol to PTI-Nazriati, arguing that it would create confusion among the voters. However, the ECP did not entertain PTI’s request.

A spokesman for the PTI said the party was ready to accommodate some of the PTI-Nazriati candidates, hoping that its list of demands would not be a long one.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024