In a tactical move to preserve its iconic symbol, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has launched “Plan B” and has allied with the PTI-Nazriati group. The alliance aims to secure the ‘batsman’ symbol for its candidates in the upcoming elections in light of potential challenges to its traditional ‘bat’ symbol.
Today marks the deadline for filing nomination papers, and PTI has directed its candidates to file under the PTI-Nazriati banner, which uses the ‘batsman’ as its symbol. Candidates have been advised to immediately report any issues in ticket collection to the District, Provincial, and Central Election Commissions. Additionally, PTI has urged its candidates to lodge written complaints with the District and Provincial Election Commissioners, if necessary.
Legal Measures and Voter Clarity
PTI encourages legal actions to secure their stance further, such as filing police reports and submitting petitions in the high court. The party also stresses the importance of forwarding all evidence and applications from the police to the party’s headquarters for further evaluation and action. PTI officials are confident that the similarity between the symbols of the ‘bat’ and ‘batsman’ will aid voter recognition.
PTI-Nazriati chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar has expressed willingness to issue tickets to PTI candidates with the ‘batsman’ symbol. This aligns with PTI’s strategy to avoid voter confusion if the Election Commission of Pakistan assigns separate symbols to each party candidate.
In a related development, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has extended the deadline for filing nomination papers until 7:00 pm today, providing additional time for candidates to comply with the new directives and complete the nomination process.