ISLAMABAD: After the Supreme Court of Pakistan nullified Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to restore PTI’s bat symbol, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday announced its candidates would contest elections independently after plans the former ruling party had failed to materialise.
Talking to reporters after the apex court verdict which deprived the PTI of its iconic bat electoral symbol, the PTI’s now ex-chairman PTI Gohar Ali Khan along with Ali Zafar, said that the party candidates would jump into the fray as independent candidates. “All PTI candidates will contest independently now and we will issue a list of all our candidates with their election symbols,” Gohar declared.
Besides, the party’s plan to issue tickets on the Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati’s (PTI-N) symbol also backfired as the latter’s chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar backed out of a deal.
PTI loses bat symbol in major blow ahead of elections
He said that the people will decide now as who they deem fit to represent them adding all the PTI candidates will fully participate in the election on Feb 8 as independent candidates.
Gohar noted that the top court’s order issued today was “controversial” and it had “deeply disappointed” him.
Without elaborating, he added that his party would challenge the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Gohar said that the SC decision is a step forward towards disenfranchising 10 crore voters which support the PTI.
Whether we have the bat or not, the people will still vote for us […] we are a very strong party,“ Gohar added, but noted that it was the court’s duty to ensure that every person’s basic rights are guaranteed.
Barrister Ali Zafar said that the election symbol has been withdrawn but the party is there and it will fully participate in the elections.
He said that our next step is to prepare for elections and after Feb 8, the PTI would form its government by giving a humiliating defeat to all our opponents despite all hurdles.
Zafar said the party was anticipating the decision; therefore, their preparations were complete.
“We will compete the February 8 with all-out force,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024