- The PTI does not figure in the list of parties that have been assigned symbols.
- PML-N was assigned 'tiger', PPP 'sword', IPP 'eagle'.
- Islamabad's transgender contests were assigned 'green chili'.
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has allotted electoral symbols to around 150 political parties, which are vying for national and provincial assembly seats in the upcoming general elections. News reported on Monday.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the country's previous ruling party, was not listed in the list of parties uploaded on the ECP website following the 'bat' symbol verdict announced by the Supreme Court on Saturday. from last week.
According to the list, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has been assigned the 'tiger' symbol, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) parliamentarians the 'arrow', Pakistan People's Party (PPP) the 'sword', Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Nazriati (PTI-N) 'batsman', Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) 'eagle', Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) 'kite', Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) 'book', Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) 'scale', Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P) 'turban', Balochistan National Party ( BNP) 'axe', Awami National Party (ANP) 'lantern', Balochistan Awami National Party 'camel' and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) 'cow'.
On Saturday last week, the electoral body issued an order directing the returning officers that the electoral symbol should not be assigned to any candidate belonging to another party.
The five-member panel of the commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, issued the order which read: “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on the commission under section 4 of the Election Act 2017, the commission hereby directs that no symbol of any political party shall be permitted to any candidate who is a member of another political party and seeks assignment of a symbol of another political party.”
The ECP had already notified 177 symbols for independent candidates.
Meanwhile, returning officers in Islamabad Capital Territory allotted electoral symbols to contesting candidates and a total of 119 candidates were issued symbols for three NA constituencies.
According to the statistics shared by the returning officers, a total of 44 candidates would be in the fray in NA-46, while up to 29 candidates will compete as independents from this electoral district. In this constituency, candidates from 16 political parties would also try their luck to reach the legislature. In this constituency, a transgender person is also competing with the “green chili” as an electoral symbol.
A total of 37 candidates would compete for NA-47, including 25 independent candidates and 12 candidates from different political parties. In NA-47, independent candidate Chaudhry Ilyas Meherban was given the “battery” symbol. Likewise, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar would compete with the 'clock' symbol.
From NA-48, a total of 38 candidates will be in the fray, including 27 candidates who will contest as independents, while candidates from 11 parties will also try their luck in this constituency.
