PHC restores PTI's election symbol of 'bat'

PESHAWAR (92 News) - The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday restored the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) election symbol of 'bat'.

Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali announced the reserved verdict on the intra-party elections. The court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue the certificate to the PTI. In the verdict, the PHC ruled that the ECP judgement on PTI intra-party elections and withdrawal of the election symbol was not justified.

"As a political party, the PTI has the right to the election symbol of 'bat'. A certificate should be issued," it ruled. The court also rejected the objections of the complainant on the court jurisdiction. With the nullification of the ECP judgment, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was restored as the party chairman.

On January 4, the PTI had filed a plea against Peshawar High Court verdict on stripping the party of the election symbol. The petitioner has appealed to the court to hear the plea immediately.

On January 3, the PHC had withdrawn the stay order and restored the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the PTI intra-party elections and the withdrawal of the election symbol of 'bat' issued on December 22. Justice Ijaz Khan had reserved the verdict on the ECP appeal against the PHC verdict.

On December 26, the PHC had suspended the judgment of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the intra-party elections and withdrawal of the election symbol of 'bat'.

The court ruled that ECP verdict is suspended till the next hearing and a divisional bench will hear the case soon after the winter vacation. It observed that the last date for issuance of the election symbol is January 13.