Launch poll campaign or lose tickets to contest elections, Imran Khan warns party candidates

Islamabad: Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has warned his party candidates to launch their poll campaigns peacefully, failing which their tickets to contest the February 8 elections will be cancelled, according to a media report on Wednesday.

The 71-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder made the statement while talking to reporters at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday after the hearing of the cypher case, the Geo News reported.

PTI-backed candidates are struggling to launch their election campaign amid a crackdown on the party supporters.

Asking his party’s candidates to take out "massive rallies" and organise public gatherings to show the strength of the PTI in their constituencies, Khan war­ned that he would replace "inactive" nominees with "suitable candidates" if the party electioneering did not pick up steam by Sunday.

Khan, who is facing multiple cases, has been incarcerated at high-security Adiala Jail since August last year. His party's electoral 'bat' symbol — a major voter driving force was taken away this month. Furthermore, the party — PTI-Nazriati — with which it sought an alliance also backtracked from its commitment.

However, the PTI has vowed not to boycott the polls and run without its iconic electoral symbol. Since the 'bat' symbol has been taken away, all its candidates will be running with different signs.