Pakistan: Imran Khan’s party says loss of election symbol part of ‘London plan’

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday (Dec 22) declared the intra-party elections of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as ‘unconstitutional’. The election commission of India’s western neighbour in South Asia also revoked PTI’s claim on its ‘bat’ electoral symbol, ahead of the general elections scheduled on February.

The development comes weeks after the Election Commission of Pakistan had warned PTI to hold intra-party polls within three weeks or it will lose its electoral symbol. 

“It is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019 and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017,” the ECP said in its 11-page order.

The ECP also rejected a certificate and form by newly-appointed party chairman Gohar Khan who replaced  Imran Khan as PTI chief. It also declared the PTI ineligible to obtain an electoral symbol under the Elections Act, 2017.

It said that PTI never submitted any record of any competent authority to exercise the intra-party elections.

Reacting to the ECP’s order, the PTI called the decision a “part of the famous London plan” and a “disgusting and shameful attempt to stop PTI” from participating in the general elections, in a purported reference to the alleged collusion between former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistani deep state. Sharif, before his return to Pakistan in October, was stationed in London since 2019. 

“The Election Commission of Pakistan has tried to destroy the constitution, democracy and transparency of elections in the country through its decision…This biased and biased decision of the Commission cannot stand in its place and we will challenge it before the Supreme Court,” said the party on X.

Pakistan is a country with one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia. Some of Imran Khan’s strongholds in the predominantly tribal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are particularly backward in terms of Human Development Indicators.

Voters in these tribal areas identify Khan’s party primarily with its bat symbol. Given Khan’s acclaimed record as one of the finest cricketers Pakistan has ever produced, his party is identified with the cricket bat across Pakistan. 

In fact, ‘Ballay pe thappa’ (Stamp on the Bat) was the rallying call for Khan’s supporters in 2018 when the PTI chief, then backed by Pakistan’s army-intelligence complex, forged a coalition to be in Islamabad’s Prime Minister’s Office. 

The loss of the bat may very well translate into a loss of identity for embattled Khan’s Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 

(With inputs from agencies)