The Election Commission (ECP) on Tuesday allotted election emblems to 144 political parties for upcoming elections.
However, the commission deferred the application of ruling Pakistan People Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), seeking arrow as election symbol.
The commission fixed the matter for March 25, as two other parties have also applied for the enlistment of PPP and arrow as election symbol.
PPP Shaheed Bhutto Chairwoman Ghinwa Bhutto sought renaming of her party as PPP, claiming her party was the real heir of Bhutto’s party and philosophy.
Whereas, a dissident group within the PPPP, headed by Naheed Khan, also sought arrow as election emblem.
The parties wanted to take advantage of the fact that no party with the name of PPP was currently enlisted with the ECP as ruling PPP contested the last elections from the platform of Pakistan People Party Parliamentarians.
On Tuesday, the ECP took up Naheed Khan’s petition, in which she sought enlistment of her party (PPP) with arrow. During the course of hearing, ruling PPPP General Secretary Jahangir Badr and Sumsan Bokhari pleaded that the PPPP had contested 2002 and 2008 with the symbol of arrow, thus it should be allotted the same for the upcoming elections.
However, Safdar Abbasi requested the commission that before the allotment of arrow, the ECP should decide the fate of their application first. On this, the commission fixed the matter for March 25.
Symbol of tiger has been allotted to the PML-N; bicycle to PML-Q; and kite has been allotted to the MQM. Whereas, the commission allotted scale to the JUI; lantern to the Awami National Party, rose to the PML-F and book has been given to the JUI-F for upcoming elections.
Imran Khan’s PTI has been given cricket bat. Whereas, the ECP while accepting Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s application allotted him missile as election symbol to his Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Pakistan. All Pakistan Muslim League of former president Pervez Musharraf has been allotted eagle as election symbol.
Wheel has been given to the Jamhoori Watan Party; helicopter to Ijazul Haq’s Pakistan Muslim League-Zia; Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed’s Awami Muslim League has been given inkpot with pen.
The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has been allotted tree; the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz has been issued ladder; the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan has been allotted human hand; and truck has been given to the Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara.
According to election symbol list, sun and crescent were most applied symbols. After balloting, sun has been allotted to the Christian Progressive Movement and crescent has been allotted to the Hazara Democratic Party.
