Imran Khan's party chief says will participate in February 8 elections

ISLAMABAD: The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's top leader Barrister Gohar Khan on Monday said his party would not boycott the February 8 election despite being forced to contest without its cricket bat poll symbol.

Gohar's statement came just days after the PTI party was deprived of its iconic electoral symbol cricket bat and left with no option but to field its candidates as independents for the polls.

“We won’t boycott the elections and God willing fully participate in them,” Gohar said, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party would issue a list of supported candidates with their respective electoral symbols within three days.

A three-member panel of the Supreme Court in its judgment on late Saturday upheld the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that in its ruling of December 22 had declared the PTI’s intra-party polls as “unconstitutional” and revoked its poll symbol.

Speaking to the media outside the Adiala Jail said the apex court's verdict had affected the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan and it was a “conspiracy against democracy”.

He also said the party would file a review petition against the judgment, noting that a five-member apex court bench should have heard the matter as the case concerned Article 17 of the Constitution.

When asked about his interaction with the PTI founder Imran Khan, who has been confined in the Adiala Jail, Gohar said Khan’s message for all party supporters is: “Ghabrana nahi hay [don’t worry], remain steadfast and peaceful. Protect your vote and exercise your right on February 8.” Separately, the PTI withdrew its plea seeking contempt proceedings against the ECP for allegedly not implementing the apex court's orders of providing the party with a level playing field for the upcoming general elections.

The plea was filed on December 26 and the case was being heard by a three-member bench.