PTI to participate in polls even without ‘bat’ symbol: Gohar

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Monday stated that his party would still participate in the February 8 general elections even without getting the “bat” as electoral symbol.

He expressed these remarks during an interaction with journalists in Islamabad. During the discussion, he addressed the questions of the journalists and talked about the current political situation in the country. He brought attention to the prevailing challenges faced by PTI.

On December 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) invalidated PTI's internal elections, resulting in the withdrawal of the party's iconic "cricket bat" symbol.

However, on December 26, the Peshawar High Court (PHC), presided over by a single judge Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel, suspended the commission’s decision. The ECP, later, decided to challenge the verdict of the court.

The PTI chairman stated that his party had no dispute with anyone including the military establishment.
"PTI and Imran Khan have consistently said from the beginning that the military is ours, the country is ours, and there is no dispute with anyone, including the establishment,” Gohar said.

He emphasised that they have never used any word against any head of state or institution to provoke a conflict. Calling the treatment meted out to his party as “unprecedented”, the PTI chairman urged the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice to provide his party level playing field.

Furthermore, Barrister Gohar declared, "Even if we do not get the bat symbol, we will still participate in the elections. PTI will not boycott the elections under any circumstances".