In a surprising twist, candidates from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have formally requested the withdrawal of their Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Nazriati (PTI-N) tickets, submitting applications to the Returning Officers.
The move has sparked speculation about a strategic shift in the political landscape, with the candidates ditching the familiar bat symbol for a diverse array of sports equipment.
The applications emphasize the desire for the allocation of independent candidate symbols. Responding to these requests, the Returning Officers have assigned independent symbols to the concerned candidates.
In Gujranwala, PTI candidate Rana Sajid Shaukat, contesting from NA-79, has opted for the wicket election symbol. Another PTI candidate, Arqam Khan, hailing from Gujranwala, secured the racket election symbol. Meanwhile, Ahmed Chatta, running from NA-66, obtained the bowl election symbol.
Sohail Zafar Cheema, a PTI candidate in Gujranwala, was allotted the Piala election symbol, while Nasir Cheema received the rollercoaster election symbol. Additionally, Bilal Nasir Cheema, representing PTI, was given the stabilizer electoral symbol.
The applications, which emphasized the desire for independent candidate symbols, were duly reviewed by the Returning Officers, who subsequently approved the request for alternative electoral representations.
Notable instances include PTI candidate Rana Sajid Shaukat from NA-79, who opted for the wicket election symbol. Similarly, in Gujranwala, Arqam Khan secured the racket election symbol, while Ahmed Chatta, PTI candidate from NA-66, was granted the bowl election symbol.
Sohail Zafar Cheema, another PTI candidate in Gujranwala, strategically chose the Piala election symbol, while Nasir Cheema opted for the rollercoaster symbol. Additionally, Bilal Nasir Cheema, a PTI candidate in the region, was allocated the stabilizer electoral symbol.
In Gujranwala, PTI candidate Arqam Khan received the racket symbol, and Ahmed Chatha from NA-66 was assigned the bowl symbol. Sohail Zafar Cheema secured the bowl election symbol, Nasir Cheema received the roller coaster symbol, and Bilal Nasir Cheema was allotted the stabilizer symbol.
On the six national seats of Multan, PTI candidates, now running as independents, received symbols as follows: Barrister Taimur Malik – clock, Malik Aamir Dogar – clock, Zain Hussain Qureshi – shoe, Mehr Bano Qureshi – Chamta, Imran Shaukat – Tunnel, and Dr. Riaz Long – clock. Junaid Akbar from NA-9 received the racket symbol, Asif Khan from NA-32 got the Lari symbol, Sohail Sultan Advocate from NA-4 secured the Goat symbol, and Salim Rehman Kochmte from NA-3 Swat was awarded the badge symbol.
In addition, former MNA Bashir Khan from NA-6 received the wicket symbol, ex-MNA Mehboob Shah from NA-7 got the wall clock, and Tehreek-e-Insaf's candidate Shandana Gulzar from NA-30 was given the "bowl" symbol.
Independent candidate Rashid Khan from PK-15 was assigned the bed symbol, Farooq-ur-Rehman from PK-15 received the plane symbol, Syastullah Khan from PK-15 got the rooster symbol, Mian Umar Kakhale from PK-88 Nowshera was awarded the badge, and Mian Khaliq-ur-Rehman Khattak from PK-87 Nowshera received the pigeon symbol.
Furthermore, Shakeel Ahmed Khan from PK-23 was given the racket symbol, Humayun Khan from PK-15 received the wall clock, former MP Fazal Hakeem from PK-6 secured the cooker symbol, and former MP Dr. Amjad Ali from PK-7 was assigned the kanshan symbol.
Former MNA Bashir Khan, contesting from NA-6, has been allotted the wicket mark, while ex-MNA Mehboob Shah, running in NA-7, received the wall clock symbol. In PK-23, former provincial minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan has been assigned the racket, and in PK-15, Humayun Khan secured the wall clock.
Additionally, in PK-88 Nowshera, Mian Umar Kakakhel has been awarded the badge symbol, and Mian Hailq-ur-Rehman Khattak, also from Nowshera (PK-87), received the pigeon symbol. Former MNA Saleem Rehman was allotted the symbol of clamp for NA-3 Swat, while in NA-4, Sohail Sultan Advocate secured the goat symbol.
Furthermore, in PK-88 Nowshera, Mian Umar Kakakhil has been awarded the badge symbol. Former MNA Saleem Rehman was granted the clamp symbol for NA-3 Swat, and in NA-4, Sohail Sultan Advocate received the goat mark. Ex-MPA Fazl Hakeem got the cooker mark in PK-6, and in PK-7, former MP Dr. Amjad Ali was given the griddle symbol. In Peshawar NA-30, Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Shandana Gulzar has been allotted the bowl symbol, while in Shangla PK-28, Shaukat Yousafzai received the rocket symbol.
