ECP urged not to allot 'batsman' symbol to PTI Nazriati

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not to allot the symbol of ‘batsman’ to its splinter group, PTI-Nazriati.

In a letter penned to the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Sikandar Sultan Raja, PTI has stated that it has been learnt that recently a political party has been registered with ECP and has requested for the provision of a ‘batsman’ symbol.

PTI is the largest party in the country having a major number of MNAs in the National Assembly, the move of allotting the ‘batsman’ symbol to PTI Nazriati will create confusion among the voters.

PTI has urged ECP to take notice of the matter and initiate action against the founders of PTI Nazriati.

In 2016, PTI moved to the Lahore High Court and challenged ECP’s decision of allocating this symbol to several independent candidates in local government elections.

Umar Sarfraz Cheema, who was then PTI’s deputy chief organizer in Punjab, maintained that LHC had ordered ECP to remove the ‘batsman’ symbol and allocate the candidates concerned to some other symbol within 10 days.

However, the ECP did not follow the order, claiming that election symbols for LG elections were proposed by the provincial local government department.