Pakistan court restores jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party election symbol

A Pakistan court has ruled that the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party can contest elections using its cricket bat symbol.

The High Court in the northwestern city of Pakistan's Peshawar suspended last week's order by the Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday (26 December), barring Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from using its election symbol.

"The election commission's ruling against PTI, in which its election symbol, the cricket bat, was unjustly revoked through an illegal order, has been suspended," said PTI lawyer Syed Ali Zafar told Al-Jazeera.

"It has been further directed that our symbol be reinstated," he added.

In a nation where the adult literacy rate is just 58%, according to World Bank data, election symbols are vital campaign tools for differentiating candidates on ballot papers.

The election commission said it made the move because of the party's failure to hold internal elections in accordance with its constitution.

But the PTI said the move was another jab to prevent Khan – a former cricket star – from contesting the election scheduled on 8 February 2024.

Khan, who enjoys support from a vast number of Pakistanis, was removed as prime minister last year after falling out with Pakistan's powerful military leaders.

He is currently in prison and faces numerous cases, including the charge that he leaked classified state documents – a crime that carries a prison term of up to 14 years or even the death penalty.

Since Khan's arrest earlier this year, PTI has faced a heavy crackdown by the government, with many party figures either jailed or "forced" to leave the party allegedly under the pressure of the military.

On Friday, PTI said it had filed Khan's nomination papers for him to contest the general election.

But the nomination may be challenged based on the electoral commission disqualifying him from office over a corruption conviction earlier this year.