In response to the Supreme Court's decision regarding the ‘bat’ election symbol, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has announced plans to file a review appeal.
Talking to media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, he emphasized the importance of the bat symbol in upholding democracy but clarified that the PTI would not boycott the upcoming elections.
Barrister Gohar expressed concern that the absence of the ‘bat’ had a detrimental impact on democracy, stating that the Supreme Court’s decision played into a conspiracy against democratic principles. Despite this setback, he assured that all the PTI-backed candidates would release their lists within the next three days, complete with relevant election marks.
Highlighting the significance of the vote, Barrister Gohar emphasized that the PTI would not boycott the elections and would actively participate to protect the rights of the 25 million people affected by the withdrawal of the election mark. To challenge the Supreme Court’s decision, Barrister Gohar revealed plans to file a review appeal regarding the ‘bat’ election symbol.
The Supreme Court’s decision on January 13 nullified the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order, which had favored the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in opposition to allotting the ‘bat’ symbol to the PTI. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa cited a lack of evidence of transparent elections conducted by the PTI, leading to the approval of the electoral watchdog’s appeal.
Subsequently, Barrister Gohar accepted the decision regarding the ‘bat’ election symbol, announcing that all PTI candidates would now participate in the elections as independents. Despite the challenges, Barrister Gohar affirmed the PTI’s commitment to the electoral process and vowed to protect the sanctity of the vote.
