Capital candidates get electoral symbols

Islamabad district returning officer has officially assigned electoral symbols to all candidates for the upcoming general elections.

A total of 119 candidates received their electoral symbols across three constituencies.

Notably, candidates affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been allocated symbols while maintaining an independent status. In the fiercely contested NA-46, a total of 44 candidates will vie for victory, including 29 independents. Candidates from 16 different political parties will also participate in the NA-46 elections. Mustafin Kazmi, an independent candidate, has chosen a parachute as his election symbol, while Shoaib Shaheen will be represented by a yet-to-be-disclosed symbol in NA-46.

Read: PTI candidates for 22 NA seats get different symbols

Moving to NA-47, a total of 37 candidates are set to compete, with 25 running as independents. A diverse array of candidates from 12 political parties will also be part of the electoral landscape in NA-47. Independent candidate Chaudhry Ilyas Mehrban has been assigned the symbol of a battery, and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar will be represented by a clock. The transgender candidate in NA-47 will be recognised by the green chilly symbol.

Meanwhile, in NA-48, 38 candidates are gearing up for the electoral battle, with 27 running independently. Candidates from 11 different parties will also join the fray in NA-48. Raja Khurram Nawaz, an independent candidate, has chosen the pomegranate as his election symbol, while PTI's Ali Bukhari will contest independently with the parachute symbol.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2024