The ECP’s ruling on December 2 marked the third time in the past year that it nullified PTI’s intra-party elections, rendering the party ineligible to retain its traditional electoral symbol of the ‘bat.’ The ECP verdict highlighted PTI’s non-compliance with the Elections Act 2017, emphasizing that the party failed to conduct intra-party elections in accordance with its existing Constitution of 2019, the Elections Act 2017, and Election Rules 2017.
In response, the Peshawar High Court, through its suspension, has temporarily halted the enforcement of the ECP decision. The intra-party elections, held on December 2, saw Barrister Gohar Khan elected as the chairman of PTI. However, the entire process faced criticism, particularly from estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar. Babar alleged that PTI orchestrated a selection process designed to sideline party workers and consolidate power among a select group of lawyers.