ECP allots election symbols to 150 parties

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Sunday allotted election symbols to 150 political parties for the general election, while the name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was missing from the list of parties uploaded on the ECP website.

According to the list, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) has been allotted ‘tiger’ symbol, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians ‘arrow’, Pakistan Peoples Party ‘sword’, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Nazriati ‘batsman’, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party ‘eagle’, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan ‘kite’, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl ‘book’, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan ‘scale’, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians ‘turban’, Balochistan National Party ‘axe’, Awami National Party ‘lantern’, Balochistan National Party Awami ‘camel’ and Balochistan Awami Party ‘cow’.

The ECP Saturday issued an order, directing returning officers that poll symbol should not be allotted to any candidate who belongs to another party.

The five-member bench of the commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, issued the order, which says, “Therefore, in exercise of powers, conferred upon the commission under Section 4 of the Elections Act, 2017, the commission hereby, directs that no symbol of any political party be allowed to any such candidate who is member of another political party and seeks allocation of symbol of other political party”.

The ECP had already sent 177 symbols for independent candidates.

Meanwhile, the returning officers in the Islamabad Capital Territory allotted electoral symbols to contesting candidates and a total of 119 candidates were issued symbols for three NA constituencies.

As per the statistics shared by the returning officers, a total of 44 candidates would be in the fray in NA-46, whereas as many as 29 candidates will contest as independents from this constituency. Candidates from 16 political parties would also try their luck in this constituency to reach the legislature. A transgender is also contesting from this constituency with ‘green chilli’ as the electoral symbol.

A total of 37 candidates would be vying for NA-47, including 25 independent candidates as well as 12 candidates from different political parties. In NA-47, independent candidate Chaudhry Ilyas Meherban was given ‘battery’ as symbol. Likewise, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar would contest on ‘clock’ symbol.

From NA-48, a total of 38 candidates will be in the fray, including 27 candidates to contest as independents, while candidates of 11 parties will also try their luck in this constituency.