The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday allotted the symbol of an arrow to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as its election symbol. However, the decision over the name of the party was withheld by the commission.
A three-member bench of the commission – headed by Justice (r) Riaz Kayani – resumed the hearing into the case.
The PPP was represented by Amin Fahim, Latif Khosa, Farooq H Naik and Masood Kausar.
Ghinwa Bhutto, chairwoman of the PPP-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB), had requested the ECP to register her party as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and had asked that the symbol of sword be allotted to her party as its election symbol.
Estranged PPP leaders Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi had also filed a request for the registration of a new party, called the PPP, and had also requested for arrow as their party’s symbol.
The ECP on Monday allotted the ‘arrow’ symbol to the PPP while deferring its decision over the registration and name of the party.
Naheed and Abbasi started protesting after the announcement in the court room while a heated argument and scuffle occurred between the supporters of Naheed and the PPP outside the ECP premises.
A PPP leader, Shahzadi Kausar Gilani beat the supporters of Nahid.
During the scuffle, Naheed’s assistant, Mohammad Asif fell unconscious.
Later, the police intervened and ended the clash. However, no arrests were made.
Speaking to reporters after the decision, former law minister Naik said they would contest the upcoming elections under the platform of the PPP Parliamentarians and that the commission had made a fair decision on the issue.
Fahim said the public trusted the PPP and that the sign of an arrow as the PPP’s election symbol was their right.
During arguments before the ECP, Jehangir Badr and Khosa also argued against each other under a preplanned strategy. Badr stressed that he was the secretary general of the party and was appointed on the post by Zulfikar and Benazir Bhutto while Khosa stressed that he was the secretary general of the party. There was an heated exchange of words and the commission sent Badr to the adjacent room.
However after the verdict, both leaders said they had no differences but they wanted to secure the PPP’s name, its historic arrow symbol and save it from going to Ghinva Bhutto and Naheed Khan.
PPP allotted arrow as its election symbol
