ECP strips PTI of its ‘bat’ symbol ahead of 2024 elections
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stripped the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Announcing its reserved verdict on Friday evening, ECP declared PTI’s intra-party elections unlawful.
ECP’s 11-page order was announced on the petition of Akbar S Babar, a former PTI member, who claimed that the PTI did not stage the elections in line with the rules.
In its orders, ECP declared PTI’s intra-party elections unlawful and added that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who replaced Khan as the party’s chairman, is no longer the party’s top head.
The order read: “The PTI has not complied with our directions […] and failed to hold the intra-party election in accordance with the PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019, and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017.”
On the other hand, reacting to the verdict, Akbar S Babar, said that following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s verdict on the petitions contesting PTI’s intra-party polls, all positions within the party ceased to exist.
