PTI missing from ECP election symbols’ list

Appellate tribunals to conclude hearing of nomination papers appeals today

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission on Tuesday sent the details of election symbols of political parties to the returning officers (ROs), according to which, the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians has been allotted the ‘arrow’ symbol, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazaryati ‘ballay baz’ (batsman), and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ‘tiger’.

According to details, the Election Commission sent letters to the ROs of national and provincial assemblies regarding the details of the election symbols for the upcoming general elections. The electoral body sent the election symbols of 145 political parties to the ROs.

In the letter, it was stated that the respective election symbol should be allotted to the candidates nominated by the political parties. “The election symbols of political parties should not be given to any independent candidate,” the ROs were instructed in a letter.

The ROs were directed to allot the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party the election symbol of an ‘eagle’, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ‘kite’, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam ‘book’ and the Jamaat-e-Islami ‘scale’. The names of various political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, were not included in the list of electoral symbols.

Read SC to hear PTI pleas for ‘bat’ symbol today

The symbols of these political parties have been withheld due to non-conduct of intra-party elections. Meanwhile, the appellate tribunals are expected to complete the process of hearing the appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers of candidates for the general elections 2024 on Wednesday (today).
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) spokesperson on Tuesday, the tribunals headed by high court judges would conclude hearing of the appeals on Wednesday and the revised list of candidates would be published on Thursday.

“The withdrawal of nomination papers is scheduled for Jan 12 (Friday) and the final list of candidates will also be released on the same day,” he said. The allocation of election symbols to the candidates was slated for Jan 13 (Saturday), and the polling would take place on Feb 8, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, the appellate tribunals on Tuesday dismissed the appeals of Fawad Chaudhry and Murad Saeed, challenging the rejection of their nomination papers for contesting the upcoming elections. The appellate tribunal of the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi bench dismissed Fawad's appeal against the decision taken by the returning officer, rejecting his nomination papers from NA-60 and NA-61, Jehlum. The rejection is a significant political setback for the former federal information minister.

Read Why Is Imran Khan's 'Bat' Symbol So Special?

Tribunal’s Justice Chaudhary Abdul Aziz, in announcing the decision, sustained all objections against Fawad and upheld the returning officer's verdict. The court revealed that Fawad concealed his wife's bank accounts and foreign trips, failed to submit an affidavit, and also obscured details about his movable and immovable assets.

Consequently, Fawad is now out of the election race, as is his wife Hiba Chaudhry who has already been disqualified. Advocate Faisal Chaudhry stated that the couple plans to challenge the tribunal's decision in a higher court.

Meanwhile, in Swat, the tribunal rejected PTI leader Murad Saeed's appeal and affirmed the RO's decision to reject his papers. The court noted that Murad's power of attorney lacked attestation, and he did not personally appear before the tribunal.

Murad had submitted papers for NA-3 and NA-4. Previously, an election tribunal in Rawalpindi recalled its decision of approving the nomination papers of former minister Fawad, while rejecting the nomination paper of his wife Hiba Chaudhry for not declaring assets.

The appellate tribunals in Punjab also rejected the appeal of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and threw out the objections raised against the acceptance of the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), meanwhile, several PTI heavyweights won the appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers by the ROs concerned during the scrutiny process that concluded last weekend.