Does the loss of the election symbol by Pakistan’s PTI party affect its prospects?

Electoral symbols hold significant importance in the democratic process. As Pakistan prepares for upcoming general elections next month, the visual landscape is adorned with posters featuring party symbols affixed to utility poles and roadside walls throughout cities and towns. However, a notable absence is observed in the representation of the symbol associated with what many consider the country’s most popular party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). This absence is attributed to an unprecedented crackdown on the PTI and its incarcerated leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PTI has been prohibited from using its symbol in the elections slated for February 8.

The facts

Symbols, often represented as minimalist line work, play a crucial role in the landscape of Pakistani politics. Approximately 40% of the country’s population is uneducated, relying on symbols to identify their preferred party on the ballot. Even literate voters may find symbols more memorable than party names, shaping their choices. Campaigning elements, such as slogans and songs, are crafted around these symbols.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), led by former Prime Minister Sharif, earned the moniker “Lion of Punjab,” incorporating imagery of lions and tigers into their campaigns. In 2017, the PML-N faced a symbol ban similar to the current situation of the PTI but managed to retain the tiger after electing a new party chief.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) initially had a sword as its symbol, chosen by party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to symbolize Zulfikar, the sword of Ali bin Abi Taleb. After the government removed the sword from approved symbols, the PPP adopted the arrow. In 2018, Bhutto-Zardari, Bhutto’s grandson, won a legal battle to reclaim the sword symbol.

Apart from the major parties (PTI, PML-N, PPP), there are 145 other parties in the election, each with unique symbols ranging from a broom to a wristwatch. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) offers various symbols for parties, including the air conditioner, carrom board, deep freezer, and the bottlenose dolphin. Each symbol holds significance and contributes to the intricate fabric of Pakistan’s political landscape.

The arguments

On December 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) excluded the bat symbol of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on technical grounds, asserting that the party had not conducted intra-party elections, a legal requirement. Consequently, the PTI became ineligible to have a symbol for the upcoming 2024 elections.

Despite the PTI organizing intra-party elections on June 8, 2022, the ECP rejected their recognition, citing the lack of fairness. Similar orders were issued against 13 other minor political parties.

Attempts by the PTI to overturn the ban were unsuccessful, as the Supreme Court of Pakistan upheld the election commission’s decision. This decision is particularly significant for the PTI, given that Imran Khan, the party’s leader, gained popularity as a former cricketer who captained the national team to victory in the 1992 World Cup.

Many Pakistanis characterized the blocking of the PTI symbol as “politically motivated” and part of a broader pattern of the Pakistani state using administrative measures to impede the PTI’s electoral success.

In defence of its decision, the ECP argued that changing symbols would further delay the electoral process. To address potential confusion, the PTI’s social media team is developing a portal allowing voters to search for names and symbols of PTI candidates. However, with half of Pakistanis lacking smartphones, reaching out to voters becomes a challenge.

The distinctively slanted cricket bat symbol has become synonymous with Khan’s party. Members and supporters of the PTI assert that the blocking of their symbol, a cricket bat, is a tactic orchestrated by the military-backed caretaker government to ensure the party’s defeat.