106 political parties in fray for 849 seats in general elections: ECP

• Symbols allotted to 106 parties out of 120
• Spokesperson says requirements of CNICs of party workers, registration fee discouraged political parties from registering

ISLAMABAD: As many as 106 registered political parties out of 120 are prepared for the upcoming polls for 849 national and provincial assemblies’ seats after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) allotted them the election symbols.

The ECP, of the total 120, has not issued any election symbols to 14 political parties, putting them out of the contest.

According to ECP Spokesperson Altaf Khan, the commission had incorporated two new rules; including 20,000 attested copies of Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) of party workers and Rs200,000 registration fee to control the mushroom growth of political parties. Previously, 216 parties had managed to get the election symbols for contesting the 2013 general elections.

The 14 registered parties, which failed to hold intra-party elections and comply with other rules and regulations of the ECP, were not allotted electoral symbols, he said.

The rules, the spokesperson said, proved to be instrumental in tapping the mushrooming of political parties this time that witnessed a surge in 2013.

The parties, which were not allotted election symbols, included Pakistan Muslim League Sher-e-Bengal, Tehreek-e-Tahafuze Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Ehsas-e-Pakistan, Tehreek Ahle-e-Sunnat Pakistan, Pakistan National Muslim League, Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara and others.

Altaf said that the commission, in this regard, had written letters to all parties contending for registration to submit all the required details within the stipulated time otherwise their registration would be declared null and void.

He said that the watchdog was fully prepared logistically to hold the upcoming elections on time scheduled to be held on July 25 of this year.

It is pertinent to mention that returning officers across the country have allocated party symbols to prospective candidates who produced party certificates, while independent candidates were allocated symbols from a list of 224 symbols.