The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has allotted an open book as election symbol to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) but a dissatisfied Fazlur Rehman has requested the commission for a closed book.
After receiving a number of complaints about misuse of the election emblem by JUI-F candidates comparing it to the holy Quran during the election campaign, the ECP has swapped the closed book with open one with some alphabets and digits like 1+1 on its pages. This move has perturbed Fazl, who filed a plea in the ECP requesting for a closed book as his party’s election symbol.
Sources in ECP told Pakistan Today that the commission had received complaints against the JUI-F chief and his candidates for befooling uneducated people across the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the name of book during the last elections. They also said that people were given impression that the symbol was a gateway to heaven.
On Wednesday, ECP Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim heard the plea and after hearing arguments from JUI-F counsel reserved the decision. Kamran Murtaza, counsel for the JUI-F, pleaded that his client should be given a closed book as election symbol. The commission after hearing arguments reserved the decision.
Meanwhile, the commission also resumed hearing case for allotment of symbols to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami. Both parties have applied for the allotment of weighing scale. After a short hearing, PTI lawyer Hamid Khan requested the commission to adjourn the hearing as he wanted to bring some documents in favour of his support in next hearing. On this, the commission adjourned the hearing until January 11.
The PTI has been claiming weighing scale as election symbol on the ground that symbol match with its ideology and name. The JI has been requesting the commission to allot the election symbol on the ground that it had contested 1970 elections on this symbol. After 1970 elections, the ECP had deleted this symbol from the list and it has been added for the upcoming general elections.
