PTI for judicial probe into Khattak’s claim of being offered ‘bat’

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) saw a conspiracy as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarian (PTIP) chief Pervez Khattak on Monday claimed that he was offered the symbol ahead of polls.

Speaking to media here, Khattak said he turned down the offer of the electoral symbol of his previous party, reports Geo News. Khattak, however, did not disclose any details regarding who made him such an offer.

Responding to the former defence minister’s claim, the ECP said it has not offered the “bat” symbol to either the PTIP chief or anyone else.

A PTI spokesperson termed Khattak’s statement as a conspiracy to grab the symbol of ‘bat’ from PTI and sought a judicial probe into it. A PTI spokesman said his party requests Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to constitute judicial commission immediately to conduct a thorough probe into the conspiracy to grab ‘bat’ symbol.

“Efforts are being made to oust the PTI from the election through conspiracy and state repression due to its extraordinary popularity among the people and its invincibility in the elections. A conspiracy has been hatched for a long time to deprive the PTI of its election symbol,” he said.

The main role in this conspiracy, he alleged, is of the Chief Election Commissioner, who has a history of deviating from his mandate and violating the Constitution. He charged that the Chief Election Commissioner issued the order under the same conspiracy and accordingly, the ‘bat’ symbol was not allotted under the guise of PTI’s intra-party elections.

“In the light of Pervez Khattak’s statement, the Chief Election Commissioner should be held accountable, who is on the path of the worst deviation from the Constitution,” he alleged. He also demanded that an action should be taken against the Chief Election Commissioner on the pending reference of Senator Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry and the Chief Election Commissioner should be put in the dock.