MUZAFFARABAD: The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has allotted symbols to as many as 32 political and religious parties for the July 25 general elections.

       A notification to this effect was issued by commission’s secretary Sardar Mohammad Ghazanfar here on Friday.

       Prominent among the registered parties were the regional chapters of PML-N, PPP and PTI, which had been symbols of tiger, arrow and bat respectively.

       Among the well known AJK based parties, All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (MC), Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) and Jamaat-i-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir (JIAJK) had been allotted their desired symbols of horse, sword and scale respectively.

       Among the allottees were at least 25 political and religious parties which allegedly have little or no following in the AJK territory.

       Mr Ghazanfar declared that the candidates claiming to be the nominees of any of these parties would be allotted symbols only after they produced the copy of the party ticket in their favour.

       Independent candidates would be allotted other symbols but not the ones having resemblance with those allotted to the parties, particularly the symbol of ‘lion’ and ‘pen’, he added.

       Interestingly, the election commission has also allotted symbol to the AJK chapter of Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) despite the fact that the AJK Home Department had placed it on the list of proscribed organisations under First Schedule of AJK Anti Terrorism Act, 2014.

       Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2021