Parliamentary politics seems to have closed its doors on Tehreek-e-Insaaf as the party has lost its electoral symbol. According to Rule 94 of the Election Rules 2017, independent candidates can only join a political party that has been issued the election symbol by the Election Commission. Consequently, independent candidates from Tehreek-e-Insaf cannot rejoin the party in the event of a victory.
Taimur Saleem Jhagra, a former minister of Tehreek-e-Insaf, acknowledged this development, stating that he is aware of the rules and is exploring alternative options. The Election Commission withdrew the election symbol from Tehreek-e-Insaf due to non-compliance with intra-party election regulations, leading the party to be excluded from the electoral race. Now, Tehreek-e-Insaaf candidates are participating in the elections as independents.
In light of Rule 94 of Election Rules 2017, independent candidates must declare their affiliation with a political party within three days. However, Tehreek-e-Insaf does not have an election symbol, closing the door to parliamentary politics for the party, as confirmed by a senior Election Commission official. Despite attempts to contact the Election Commission for clarification, there has been no response.
Candidates supported by PTI have pledged to join Tehreek-e-Insaaf upon victory. Taimur Saleem Jhagra, when approached, emphasized the importance of adhering to the constitution and rules, mentioning that the party is aware of the situation and is considering various options, including approaching the court and conducting an intra-party election.