The PTI on Friday issued a show-cause notice to Senator Saifullah Abro — a party-affiliated candidate contesting for the February 8 elections from NA-194 — after he withdrew from the constituency in favour of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to revoke the PTI’s iconic electoral symbol ‘bat’ and declare its intra-party polls as “unconstitutional”.

Subsequently, the PTI fielded its leaders as independent candidates with a variety of electoral symbols.

Abro’s decision to switch parties came after he met Bilawal a day earlier in Lahore, according to the PPP.

In a post on social media platform X today, Abro confirmed the meeting and said he had decided to withdraw from the election race in the constituency. “I am withdrawing in favour of Bilawal and have decided to compete with the tiger (PML-N),” he said.

Meanwhile, Bilawal thanked Abro for his support. “PTI workers across the country are beginning to understand that the only way to stop PML-N is to vote for PPP’s arrow on Feb 8,” he wrote on X.

“I also appeal to political workers from all parties to vote smartly and we can pull off a surprise on Election Day,” the PPP chairman added.

Responding to the development, the PTI issued a show-cause notice to Abro for going against the party policy.

“You being elected as a senator on the party’s ticket in the Senate of Pakistan and also awarded party ticket to contest General Elections 2024 have shown grave indiscipline by violating the party’s discipline,” the notice, issued by PTI General Secretary Omar Ayub Khan, said.

It directed Abro to provide a written response within three days on why action should not be taken against him.

“If your reply is unsatisfactory or you do not respond, further action will be taken as per party policy and rules,” the notice added.

At a rally a day earlier, Bilawal had urged PTI workers not to “waste” their votes on independent candidates and instead opt for his party’s candidates on Feb 8.

He said if PTI supporters wished to stop PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif from becoming the prime minister for a fourth time, they could either waste their vote by opting for independent candidates, “which amounts to supporting the PML-N” or “strategically use their right to vote”.

“They [PTI supporters] should consider this a contest between two parties, and to stop the lion in its path, they should stamp the arrow of PPP,” Bilawal said while referring to the electoral symbols of PML-N and PPP.

To find your constituency and the location of your polling booth, SMS your NIC number (without spaces) to 8300. Once you know your constituency, you can find out about the contesting candidates by visiting the ECP website here and checking the province-wise break-up of Form 33s.