This is how a messaging bot is helping PTI supporters

With just two weeks left before the February 8 elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has introduced a messaging bot to update its voters on the symbols assigned to its new independent candidates.

On January 24, the PTI's official account on X (formerly Twitter) informed that voters can discover the symbols allocated to PTI-affiliated candidates by sending a direct message to Imran Khan's official Facebook page. The announcement garnered 346,500 views at the time of reporting.

The post says: “Another innovative way to find PTI nominated candidate for your constituency, along with the allotted electoral symbol! Just send a message to Imran Khan’s official FB page with your constituency number and you will receive the information within a few minutes.”

Another innovative way to find PTI nominated candidate for your constituency, along with the allotted electoral symbol!

Just send a message to Imran Khan’s official FB page https://t.co/ck6e4L0vNg with your constituency number & you will receive the information within a few… pic.twitter.com/YjpBJ9FX5a

— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 23, 2024

The party utilized Facebook's 'Automated Responses' feature, enabling voters to quickly discover the electoral symbols of candidates through Imran Khan's official Facebook page.

The post on X mentioned information availability within a few minutes, but the messaging bot replies faster than that, providing information within seconds.

The response includes two messages, the first detailing the contesting person and the electoral symbol, and the second sharing a link to the public WhatsApp channel for constituency-related information, along with short clips of Imran Khan's message from jail to supporters/voters.

Since losing its 'bat' symbol, PTI has employed creative strategies to inform people about symbols for independent candidates.

They've launched websites like insaf.pk/election2024 and 'pticandidates.com,' allowing users to enter the constituency number and instantly view the candidate's name and symbol. 

The page also offers a link to join the ‘halqa’s’ (constituency) WhatsApp channels.

In a post published on X  on January 24, regarding the information of PTI’s official website ‘insaf.pk’, however, is inaccessible, Bytes For All confirmed this, “Local probing by @OpenObservatory confirms that http://insaf.pk (the official website of PTI, a political party in Pakistan) is currently not opening in the country. However, it is accessible via VPNs.”

The PTI is receiving support from worker-led online initiatives. An anonymous X user and party worker developed an offline Android app, 'Insaf Ka Nishan,' independently, offering information about PTI's candidates.

The updated version, launched on January 23, 2024, has already been downloaded 1,589 times.

As the PTI uses various tools to convey its message and overcome setbacks, some other political parties seem incompetent at embracing the social media age. Instead, they rely mainly on showcasing their street presence.