The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lost its iconic bat symbol for the upcoming general elections, after the Supreme Court declared its intra-party polls null and void. The bat symbol, which was associated with the party’s founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, was a source of identity and recognition for the PTI candidates and supporters. Without a common symbol, the party faces the risk of losing votes and seats in the national and provincial assemblies.
However, the PTI is not giving up. The party has devised a new strategy to cope with the symbol crisis, using its strong social media presence and influence. The party announced on Sunday that it has created a web portal where users can find the PTI candidate and his or her election symbol by constituency. The party also released a video explaining the initiative and urging its supporters to spread the word.
The web portal, which is still under construction, will have a searchable database that will include the names, constituencies and election symbols of all the PTI candidates. The party says that the data will be uploaded as soon as it arrives and the portal will go live. The party hopes that this move will help its candidates and supporters to overcome the confusion and challenges caused by the symbol issue.
The PTI is known for its effective use of social media to mobilize and communicate with its supporters, especially the youth. The party has over 10 million members in Pakistan and abroad, and claims to be the largest political party by primary membership. The party also has a large following on various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
However, the success of the PTI’s social media strategy is not guaranteed. The party faces several challenges and uncertainties, such as the possibility of the authorities blocking access to the web portal or the mobile application, the reliability and accuracy of the data, and the awareness and accessibility of the portal among the voters. Moreover, the party faces a tough competition from other parties, such as the Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML–N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which have their own symbols and supporters.
The PTI is confident that it has the support of the masses and that it will bring a change in the country’s politics. The party’s slogan is “Ab Naheen Tou Kab, Hum Naheen Tou Kaun” (If not now, then when? If not us, then who?). The party’s manifesto promises to deliver a “Naya Pakistan” (New Pakistan) based on populism, welfarism, egalitarianism, Islamic democracy and civic nationalism.
The general elections are scheduled for February 8, 2024. The PTI will have to prove its popularity and credibility to the voters, without the bat symbol. The party will have to rely on its social media strategy, as well as its performance and reputation, to win the elections and form the government.