The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a warning about the potential delay of the general elections slated for February 8 if the ongoing process of changing electoral symbols does not cease. The ECP expressed concerns about political actors seeking alterations even after the initial allotment of symbols, stating that repeated instructions to keep symbols unchanged once printing begins have been disregarded. The ECP emphasized that if the trend of changing symbols continues, it might have no option but to postpone elections in affected constituencies.
The ECP stated that the fear of election delay arises due to the need for reprinting ballot papers, which is time-consuming, and the potential loss of special paper designated for ballot printing. Despite having already ordered the printing of ballot papers to three printing corporations, the ECP faces challenges if symbols are continually changed.
The statement from the ECP comes in response to requests from political parties and candidates seeking changes to their electoral symbols, with some applications pending before higher courts. Notably, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) raised concerns about the allocation of symbols to its candidates, prompting a letter from Senator Taj Haider to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), urging changes to symbols for seven candidates allegedly declared independent by returning officers.
The report also mentions a pending petition by Imran Khan, the jailed former prime minister and founding chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, against the rejection of his nomination papers.
Highlighting the issue of paper wastage, the ECP estimated a significant increase in the use of paper for printing ballot papers in the 2024 polls compared to the 2018 elections. The report notes that Pakistan, already grappling with a balance of payment crisis, imports paper. Symbols on ballot papers play a crucial role, especially considering that over 40% of Pakistan’s population is illiterate.
It's worth mentioning that Imran Khan’s PTI party faced the rejection of its cricket bat symbol by the election commission, a symbol that had become synonymous with the former international cricketer.
(With Agency Inputs)
