Kathmandu, Dec 28: As Pakistan gears up for the upcoming general elections on February 8, political tensions are escalating. In a recent development, former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a reprieve as the Peshawar High Court lifted the ban on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s election symbol.

The court overturned the Election Commission’s decision and reinstated the cricket bat as PTI’s official election symbol. Additionally, the court dismissed the commission’s ruling that declared PTI’s internal elections as unconstitutional.

Imran Khan’s party, PTI, had approached the court to challenge the commission’s decision, and Justice Kamran Hayat issued the order in response to PTI’s petition.

Previously, the Election Commission of Pakistan had imposed a ban on Imran’s election symbol, the bat. The commission also released an updated list of 175 registered parties in Pakistan, omitting PTI’s name from the roster.

With the general elections scheduled for February 8, Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, has filed his candidacy from his home constituency, Mianwali, in the Punjab province. However, Imran is currently in jail, having been convicted in the Toshakhana corruption case on August 5.

While Imran challenged the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court, he was granted bail after the hearing. Nevertheless, he remains in custody due to his arrest in two other cases.

The Parliament of Pakistan was dissolved on August 9, 2023, at midnight. President Arif Alvi dissolved it based on the advice of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, marking the end of Shahbaz Sharif’s government along with the dissolution of the National Assembly, as per the constitutional provisions outlined in Article 58. The official term of the Parliament was set to conclude on August 12.