PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday accepted the review plea filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and withdrew its verdict against the ECP’s decision against PTI’s intra-party polls.

Thus the top provincial court reversed the single-bench’s December 26 verdict, which had suspended the ECP’s decision till January 9, enabling the PTI to use its party symbol.

The PHC vacated the verdict reinstating the ECP’s December 22 decision against the PTI intra-party polls and electoral symbol.

PTI ‘bat’ symbol case: PHC adjourns hearing till today

The ECP had challenged the high court’s decision against its December 22 verdict declaring the PTI’s intra-party polls null and void and the subsequent withdrawal of the party’s electoral symbol of “bat”.

The PHC’s earlier decision suspended the commission’s decision on PTI’s intra-party polls.

According to details, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) reserved the verdict on the intra-court appeal filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the PTI’s intra-party elections and electoral symbol case after parties concluded their arguments. A single-judge PHC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Khan heard the appeal.

Iskandar Bashir Mohmand was the ECP’s counsel while Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and Qazi Anwar appeared on behalf of PTI.

The ECP had filed a review petition at the high court against its December 26 decision which had suspended the ECP’s order and restored the PTI’s “bat” election symbol till a final decision on the matter.

The ECP, in its order, had declared PTI’s intra-party polls “illegal” and stripped it of using the “bat” symbol. Following its order, the former ruling party approached the PHC seeking to restore its party symbol ahead of the general elections slated for February 8.

In its petition, the ECP then requested the court to review the PTI’s intra-party elections and its decision related to the election symbol.

A day earlier, the court heard the arguments of the ECP’s counsel and then adjourned the hearing till January 03.

At the start of the proceedings on Wednesday, PTI’s lawyer Shah Faisal told Justice Ijaz that senior lawyer Advocate Qazi Anwar, who would give arguments in the case, was about to reach the court. “Please give us time,” the lawyer requested.

Accepting his request, the judge replied he would listen to Advocate Anwar’s arguments.

Later after his arrival in court, Advocate Anwar said that he, along with Barrister Gohar Khan, will represent the PTI in this case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024