ECP hits back as PTI swings for 'batsman' symbol to keep innings going

• Candidates trying to "deceive" ECP via electoral symbols pleas.
• ROs directed to carefully scrutinise party candidates' affiliations.
• Candidates "cannot" affiliate with two political parties at a time.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of deceiving attempts by some candidates through their applications ahead of general elections — scheduled for February 8.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the allotment of electoral symbols was extended to 12am by the polling authority.

An order issued by the election commission read that some candidates were trying to deceive it via their applications seeking the electoral symbol of another political party.

The top electoral body directed the returning officers (ROs) to refrain from allotting the electoral symbol of a party other than which the candidate belongs.

It detailed that every candidate was bound to submit a party association certificate under the Election Act, 2017. Additionally, a candidate could not keep membership in more than one political party at a time, it concluded.

It is pertinent to know that candidates are required to submit an affidavit to the ROs wherein they declare their party affiliation.

The development came after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) implemented 'Plan B' and issued fresh tickets to the candidates under the name of another party — “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (PTI-N)” amid confusion over its iconic “bat” symbol.

In a statement, the party said that it has issued fresh tickets to the national and provincial assembly candidates and directed them to submit the declarations to the returning officer.

In conversation with reporters in Islamabad, PTI spokesperson Shoaib Shaheen said party candidates can submit their nomination papers under PTI-N’s name.

“In line with the law, the ECP can allot tickets to any party. The returning officers are bound [by the law] to issue tickets for whichever party the candidates ask them to,” the PTI leader said.

He lamented that, at times, the authorities “steal” the bat electoral symbol from the party, and at times, they do the same with their batsman symbol.

Later in the day, the party also complained that ROs were not accepting its candidates' nomination papers, with Shaheen also filing a petition in the election commission.

Following the developments, the PTI-N Chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar denounced the submission of the “fake” nomination papers submitted by the Imran Khan-led party candidates using the name of party.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the politico said announced that a verified list of PTI-N candidates will be provided to the ROs to avoid confusion. He asked the election commission to take strict action against the said candidates

After Dar’s press conference in which he turned down the possibility of any alliance with the Imran-led party, the former ruling party said that its splinter group — Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati — had backtracked from an agreement between the two sides, allowing the candidates of the former to contest polls under the latter’s symbol.

As per the details available with Geo News, the agreement states that both parties would adjust seats on seven constituencies. It mentioned that Akhtar would get a Senate seat.

A candidate of the PTI-N, according to the agreement, would get a ticket for the reserved seat in the provincial assembly. The same number would be applicable to the National Assembly and the Senate as well. It mentioned that PTI candidates would contest polls on the ‘batsman’s’ logo.

In conversation with Geo News, PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar confirmed that his party had entered an agreement with the PTI-N, noting that they struck the deal in Islamabad, with sources saying it took place on December 30.

“It is unfortunate that the Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati backtracked from its commitment. Now, we are pinning our hopes on the Supreme Court,” Zafar added.

After much deliberation, the top court nullified the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) verdict and upheld the election commission's decision to declare PTI's intra-party elections unconstitutional and revoke its electoral symbol.