PTI-Nazriati Chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar has dissociated himself from giving his party tickets to the Imran Khan-led PTI, claiming that its candidates had submitted “fake” party tickets to returning officers (ROs) on Saturday, amid political unrest that intensifies ahead of the general elections on February 8.
The comments were made just hours after the beleaguered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), fearing that it might lose its famous “bat” emblem, outlined a backup plan and instructed its candidates to file nominations under the PTI-Nazriati alliance, whose electoral sign is “batsman.”
“Whoever has PTI-Nazriati tickets should immediately submit them and take any kind of hindrance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and high courts,” stated PTI’s official account in a post on X.
Speaking at a news conference at the Lahore Press Club, Akhtar Iqbal Dar expressed his disbelief over PTI candidates bearing his political party’s tickets showing up ahead of the returning officers (ROs) given that he did not give them out.
He mentioned that in order to prevent misunderstanding, they will give the returning officers (ROs) a confirmed list of PTI-N candidates.
The leader of PTI-Nazriati cited directives from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stating that candidates who are already party members are not permitted to run for office using the symbol of another party.
In response to speculation, Akhtar Iqbal said that the distinctive ‘batsman’ symbol is what sets their tickets apart. “Tracking down these candidates’ fraudulent schemes is the ECP’s primary duty,” he continued.
He went on to say that he had distanced himself from the previous party over the years because he believed that the Imran-led PTI lacked transparency and integrity.
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