Election symbol controversy: Court rules in JUI-F’s favour of ‘closed book’

The Islamabad High Court has accepted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F’s petition for the ‘closed book’ election symbol, and disposed of the case by directing the election commission to comply with the party’s demand.

The petition was filed by the party’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who argued that the commission had significantly altered the symbol from a blank, closed book to an open one with Urdu alphabet and figures.

On March 1, a five-member tribunal of the election commission had rejected JUI-F’s demand.

In challenging this decision in court, JUI-F’s lawyer Kamran Murtaza, said the change would adversely affect election results.

In response, however, commission official Abdur Rehman argued that the symbol was changed to avoid exploitation of religious sentiment during campaigning.

Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi and Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui accepted JUI-F’s plea. However, an election official said the commission plans to go to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2013.