The wheel seems to be enjoying its ride around the same circle again and again. In what can only be hoped to be the last word on the matter, the cricket bat has once again landed in the lap of the PTI.
Dispelling the need for a Plan B, whose trailer was unravelled by Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the Peshawar High Court has declared the ECP’s decision to revoke the iconic electoral symbol as “illegal, without any lawful authority and of no legal effect.” But while the court appears to stand with the party this time, the leadership would do well to remember the fleeting nature of this relief and prepare for all scenarios beforehand. For now, in light of the directive issued by the PHC to the commission, the party leadership might finally start working on the actual game plan.
With February 8 literally on the horizon, a party that claims to have the support of a phenomenal majority in the country and takes great pride in its plans to cleansweep the elections has little to show when it comes to campaigning. The bat may have been more than a symbol in the sense that it would help seal the deal for a large number of voters who cannot read. The looming shadows of uncertainty about who is actually standing in the polls to represent PTI would also be settled.
Still, a mainstream political entity cannot expect mass support to do the homework in its stead. After the tickets are distributed and the beleaguered PTI finally begins to step out of the shadows, the second-tier leadership is expected to take full command of the campaign and lay down their manifestos. There must be something in the sack for what they intend to do if they manage to win the race. After all, feel-good declarations sound all nice and warming but the moment reality sets in, every party – no matter how popular–needs to show its true mettle. *