ANP fears its electoral symbol may be snatched in a ‘balancing act’

PESHAWAR: Central Senior Vice President Awami National Party (ANP) Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Tuesday expressed fears that snatching of his party’s electoral symbol was also being mulled over in a balancing act to prove another judgment right.

The ANP leader’s comments came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved its verdict on the party’s request for the grant of six months to conduct intra-party elections, risking the possibility of losing its polls symbol ‘lantern’.

The commission had earlier deemed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party polls “unconstitutional” and revoked its claim on the iconic electoral symbol. “May Allah prove it wrong, but they might take a decision against the ANP to prove one judgment right,” Ameer Haider Hoti said in a speech, adding that this move was being attempted to be executed in a similar fashion as verdicts against Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Khan Tareen were delivered.

Hoti said some secrets better be kept confidential as they wanted to forget them. However, he requested the concerned quarters that whatever the decision is taken it should be in accordance with the law and Constitution of the country.

“According to the law, the intra-party elections have to be held within five years and their five years for the polls will complete in May 2024,” he said. The senior ANP leader said they would not forget if new wounds were inflicted.