Pak SC decision on PTI's electoral symbol should not be linked with level-playing field for polls: IPP patron-in-chief

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 15 (ANI): Reacting to the Supreme Court's verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) electoral symbol, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief Jahangir Tareen said the court's decision should not be linked with the level-playing field for the upcoming general elections, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.
Jahangir Tareen said political parties always have a level playing field as their voters are not accompanied by anyone when they cast their vote in the polling booth. He vowed to take on challenging tasks in his constituencies and work for the welfare of the people, according to ARY News report.
Tareen's remarks come after PTI lost its electoral symbol 'bat' as the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the Peshawar High Court's verdict null and void.
While announcing the decision, Chief Justice of Pakistan Faez Isa stated that the plea in Peshawar High Court was inadmissible as a single case cannot proceed in two High Courts at the same time.
The verdict said PTI did not present evidence of holding transparent intra-party elections as all political parties are bound to hold free and fair intra-party elections, ARY News reported.
The CJP said ECP "has been calling upon the PTI to hold its intra-party elections since May 24, 2021 and at that time the PTI was in the federal government and in some provinces." The court's decision comes just days before the general elections set to be held on February 8.
Following the Supreme Court verdict, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar said that all party candidates would contest elections independently. Khan, who has been deprived of his post of PTI chairman after the apex court judgement, was allotted "teapot" as election symbol while Shaukat Yousafzai's symbol has been "racket", ARY News reported.
PTI's Shahryar Afridi will contest the election with the "bottle" symbol, and Shandana Gulzar has been given the symbol "bowl". On the other hand, PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi's children Mehr Bano Qureshi and Zain Hussain Qureshi have been allotted electoral symbols chimta (tongs) for NA-151 and shoe for NA-150 constituencies of Multan, respectively.
Umair Niazi will fight the election with the symbol 'door' on Mianwali's NA-90 seat. Shoaib Shaheen has been given a 'shoe' to contest elections in Islamabad's NA-46 constituency, according to ARY News. Shandana Gulzar will fight the elections with 'Piyala' (bowl) in NA-30 constituency of Peshawar and 'kettle' will represent Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in NA-10 constituency of Buner.
According to the returning officer, in NA-177, PTI's Maqsood Khan Jatoi has been allotted the symbol of a 'hookah', and in NA-178, PTI's Daud Khan Jatoi has been given the symbol of a keychain, ARY News reported.
PTI's Shairam Tarkai from PA-20 and Rangzeb Khan from PK-49 have been given the symbol of a dove. PTI's Aqibullah Khan will fight with the peacock symbol in PK-50 while Abdul Karim has been allotted the symbol of a kettle in PK-51. (ANI)