The decision, issued just under a month prior to the election, may face potential challenges in Pakistan's Supreme Court from the national election commission.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, experienced a significant boost ahead of the upcoming general elections as a court reinstated their electoral symbol, the cricket bat, for the second time.
A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deemed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)'s previous decision to strip the party of its symbol last month as "illegal." Imran Khan, revered as Pakistan's most celebrated cricketer, led the country to its only World Cup victory in 1992.
The court order was issued less than a month before the scheduled general election on February 8.
Senator Ali Zafar, a senior PTI leader and member of the party's legal team, expressed that the court's decision affirmed the party's commitment to justice and truth. He stated, "We, the PTI, are upholding the values of justice, and this verdict gives credence to our stance. Nobody can stop us from winning the polls."
The ECP had revoked PTI's electoral symbol on December 22, citing constitutional and election law violations during the party's internal organizational elections. PTI appealed the case in the PHC, securing a provisional order until January 9, overturning the ECP's decision.
Despite the ECP's successful appeal on January 3, PTI persisted, filing another appeal with Pakistan's Supreme Court. Today, the PTI withdrew its appeal from the apex court, expressing confidence in obtaining a favorable result from the PHC, which they achieved shortly afterward.
While the ECP has not provided a formal response, expectations are that the electoral watchdog may escalate the matter to the country's top court.
Zafar, the PTI lawyer, emphasized the party's readiness to confront legal challenges, stating, "We do not fear what comes next. We trust in the country's constitution, its laws, and the superior courts. We do not fear ECP filing a review petition and are fully prepared to face them."
Khan's party, which came to power in 2018, faces internal challenges, with leaders leaving or joining rival parties. Khan himself, currently in prison, confronts various legal issues, including corruption charges. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, returning from exile, has seen dropped corruption charges, leading many analysts to view him as a favored candidate in the elections.
Despite the positive court decision, observers caution that the PTI's struggle to secure its symbol may not be over, anticipating potential legal battles at the Supreme Court.
Political analyst Mehmal Sarfraz commended the court's decision, noting, "This is a good decision because no party should be deprived of its election symbol, especially just before the general elections. It would have raised more questions about the upcoming election's legitimacy."
Zafar, however, suggested that the challenges faced by PTI seemed deliberately orchestrated, stating, "I would say that the manner in which PTI is facing the abuse of law, and the way ECP is conducting its business in trying to keep us out of the polling race, it appears that they really don't want the party to contest, perhaps scared due to our popularity.
