In a significant setback for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Supreme Court overturned the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) January 10 ruling, stripping the former ruling party of its cherished ‘Bat‘ symbol just days before the upcoming general elections.

The three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and including Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali, delivered the verdict following an extensive day-long hearing.

Earlier, on December 22, the Election Commission had barred the PTI from using its ‘bat’ symbol in the February elections, citing internal poll irregularities. The PTI challenged this decision in the PHC, where a single judge temporarily reinstated the symbol, leading to a referral to a larger bench for a hearing on January 9.

Despite the PHC initially overturning the Election Commission’s decision, a dramatic turn of events saw the PHC later upholding the order. Seeking to retain the iconic symbol, the PTI took the matter to the Supreme Court but later withdrew its appeal, placing hopes on a favorable PHC outcome.

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In a twist, the PHC declared the commission’s order “illegal and of no legal effect.” However, the Election Commission challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. Concurrently, the PTI filed a plea against Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members for not adhering to the PHC’s order.