Government News

Despite losing the Bat

By - 17 Jan 2024 06:39 PM

Islamabad: Barrister Gohar Khan, the leader of the beleaguered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, declared on Monday that his party would not abstain from the February 8 election, even though they were compelled to run without their cricket bat poll symbol.

Mr. Gohar made his remarks a few days after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was forced to field its candidates as independents for the elections after losing its famous cricket bat, which served as its electoral symbol.

"With God willing, we will participate fully in the elections," Mr. Gohar declared. He also mentioned that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party would release a list of its endorsed candidates along with their corresponding electoral symbols in three days.In a decision released late on Saturday, a three-judge Supreme Court panel maintained the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) ruling from December 22, which had deemed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's intra-party polls "unconstitutional" and removed the party's poll symbol.

Speaking to the media outside the Adiala Jail, he claimed that the ruling of the top court was a "conspiracy against democracy" and that it had an impact on Pakistanis' fundamental rights.

Additionally, he announced that the party would file a review petition against the ruling, pointing out that since the case involved Article 17 of the Constitution, a five-member bench of the top court should have heard the case.