Imran Khan announced Plan B after the danger of losing bat symbol

Former PTI Chairman Imran Khan has announced Plan B after feeling the danger of losing its distinctive symbol, “bat”. As per Plan B, PTI has allied with its breakaway group named “the PTI Nazriati” to use the batsman symbol for its candidates.

According to sources, the two parties, PTI and PTI Nazriati, reached an agreement following negotiations. All this came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) went to the Supreme Court against the decision of the Peshawar High Court to resume the PTI bat symbol.

"We judge the law, whether its constitution or not, that's it" remarks CJP, as the #SupremeCourt resumes hearing #ECP's appeal against #PeshawarHighCourt's decision to allow the #PTI to use the 'bat' symbol. #SamaaTV pic.twitter.com/euxocutEhJ
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) January 13, 2024

Afterward, PTI leadership opted for an alternative electoral symbol, “batsman”. They became more concerned about it after the remarks of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa during a hearing yesterday.

PTI leaders believe that the symbols of the “bat” and “batsman” are similar. It will make it easy for voters to identify PTI. On the other hand, the chairman of PTI-Nazriati, Akhtar Iqbal Dar, has agreed to issue tickets to PTI candidates on the symbol of the batsman.

PTI leadership allied with the broken group Nazriati-PTI for the possible decision of ECP will assign the symbol “batsman” to the Nazriati party to confuse PTI voters. PTI issued two tickets to each candidate, one for PTI and another as a backup plan for PTI Nazriati. In case PTI failed to regain its electoral symbol, the bat.

So, if the PTI symbol bat is denied, PTI could easily instruct voters to stamp on the symbol “batsman.” The PTI refused to assign the symbol of batsman to the Nazriati group in June 2022. It requested ECP not provide this symbol to Nazriati so their voters don’t get confused. But, the ECP declined the request of PTI.

Click here to read the updates on ECP suspending the priority list of PTI candidates for reserved seats

The sources contacted Nazriati group head Akhtar Iqbal Dar to clarify the agreement between Nazriati and PTI. Akhtar remarked that they cannot comment on this matter right now.

Meanwhile, a PTI spokesperson said the PTI was willing to accommodate some of the PTI-Nazriati candidates. PTI expects that their (Nazriati) list of requests will be short.

PTI-Nazriati was formed in Jan 2012 after a clash between Mr Akhtar and Imran Khan. Now, Imran Khan has announced a Plan B to ally with the Nazriati group. If the Supreme Court denies the bat symbol of PTI. Imran Khan’s party will still acquire votes through the “batsman” symbol of Nazriati.