EC allots symbols to political parties
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—Election Commission of Pakistan Sunday allotted election symbols to more than 40 parties for contesting January 2008 elections. Major parties like PML, PPPP, MQM, ANP and PML-N getting the old symbols with some objections by certain political parties, on allocation of Book symbol to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.
Election Commission meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Qazi Muhammad Farooq accepted the applications of more than 40 parties out of total 54 applications received by the Commission. According to Commission officials request of four parties for allocation of symbol was rejected.
The Commission is yet to formally announce the symbol for MMA as the decision was reserved after hearing the MMA component parties at a prior to symbols allocation meeting. Awami National Party (ANP), Pukhtoonkha Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) and Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) had objected the allocation of Book symbols to MMA as they claimed that the alliance apparently had portrayed the symbol as the Holy Book during previous elections.
“They have been describing the Book symbol as the Holy Quran and sought votes in the name of the Holy Book,” the PPPP MNA Candidate from Rawalpindi, Amir Fida Piracha objected during the process of symbols allocation. PKMAP Senator Raza Muhammad Raza also raised objection seconded by the ANP representative, all demanding not to consider the Book as a symbol for the MMA.
Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Muslim League (F) also raised objection when the former ruling Muslim League’s name was announced without writing (Q) with it. “It was allotted symbol in 2002 elections under the name of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam or Q). Writing it as Pakistan Muslim League would be confusing the damage the cause of other factions,” said Syed Zafar Ali Shah.
The PML (Q) representative contested that the party has been registered with the Commission as Pakistan Muslim League. The Chief Election Commissioner observed that the name of the party as written on the symbols list is the same as the party got it registered. The Election Commission had received total 54 applications for symbols of which around 46 have been allotted symbols.
According to initial reports, Pakistan Muslim League has been allotted the “Bicycle” symbol with PPPP (Arrow), PML-N (Tiger), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-MQM (Kite), Awami National Party-ANP (Lantern), JUP-Niazi (Lock), Pakistan Peoples Party PPP-Sherpao (Oil Lamp), PML-F (Rose), Balochistan National Party BNP-Awami (Camel), PPP-Shaheed Bhutto (Fist), PKMAP (Tree), Pakistan Democratic Party (Umbrella) and JUI Samiul Haq (Ladder).