The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has withdrawn its petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking a level play field in the February 8 general election in the country.
Imran Khan’s party had approached the top court saying the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had failed to implement an earlier court order about providing a level playing field to all the political parties. The PTI was seeking contempt of court proceedings against the ECP.
The petition was heard by the same three-member bench that heard the bat symbol appeal. Led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the bench included Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
However, when the hearing commenced on Monday, PTI’s counsel Latif Khosa said he wanted to withdraw the petition.
For the sake of protecting democracy and the people we want to approach the court of the people instead, he said. He added that instead of a level playing field, the entire field had been taken away from the party.
CJP Isa asked if he wanted to puruse the case. Khosa replied he had been instructed to withdraw the petition.
Shortlly before Khosha withdrew the petition, PTI Barrister Gohar Khan filed a similiar petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan naming the chief election commissioner and the four members of the ECP as respondents.
It is not clear if Khosa withdrew his petition because Barrister Gohar had filed a similar appplication.
The development comes two days after the SC upheld an ECP order denying the bat symbol to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.