ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced its intention to appeal against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruling that reinstated the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order, which had revoked the party’s electoral symbol, the ‘bat.’

Speaking to reporters, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan criticized the PHC verdict as the “most significant manifestation of the ECP’s bias” and stated that the party would approach the Supreme Court (SC) against this decision.

Gohar Khan raised doubts about the “legitimacy of the election” following the ECP’s declaration that the PTI’s intra-party polls were “unconstitutional,” leading to the withdrawal of the iconic ‘bat’ electoral symbol.

He emphasized the symbolic importance of the ‘bat’ and argued that without it, the world would not acknowledge the legitimacy of the election.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the electoral watchdog’s handling of the case, Gohar Khan urged the SC to “kindly listen to us.” Despite the party’s disagreement with the ruling, he clarified that the PTI would not boycott the election.

However, he stated that if the SC did not reinstate the ‘bat’ symbol, PTI candidates would contest the elections independently, urging the court to assign an alternative symbol.

Earlier in the day, the PHC lifted the stay order and reinstated the ECP’s decision to invalidate the PTI’s intra-party polls and strip the party of its election symbol, the ‘bat.’ The PHC’s decision came after it had announced the verdict on December 26, responding to PTI’s petition challenging the ECP’s decision.

The ECP had nullified PTI’s intra-party elections on December 2, citing non-compliance with electoral rules, and the PTI had subsequently contested the verdict in the Peshawar High Court.