PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that his party would “merge” with the Sunni Ittehad Council if the Election Commission of Pakistan accepted its recent intra-party polls and returned its electoral symbol of ‘bat’.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, when asked whether it was the right decision for its candidates to join the SIC, Qaiser replied that the party held “many consultations” amongst it, emphasising that the options were few.

When asked whether PTI-backed candidates who joined the SIC would remain in it, Qaiser said, “Yes, we will remain but we will also merge with it.” He explained that if the party got back its electoral symbol after the recent intra-party polls, “both [parties] would merge” and “remain as PTI”, rather than the current scenario of its candidates being a part of the SIC.

On the matter of whether it would be allowed under the laws, he said his party was consulting legal experts.

Speaking about the PHC verdict upholding the ECP’s decision of not allocating the SIC reserved seats, the ex-NA speaker said the party intends to challenge it in the Supreme Court.