The Hindu : PPP's new outfit allowed to retain party symbol

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2002

International

International

PPP's new outfit allowed to retain party symbol

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD AUG. 19. The new political entity floated by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) scored a minor victory today as the Pakistan Election Commission conceded its request for retaining the party symbol, arrow.

The PPP was forced to launch the new entity known as PPP Parliamentarians to stay in the fray for the October general election as the party chief and former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, was disqualified to contest the election and even retain the party post.

The subsidiary of PPP was keen on retaining the symbol of the parent party as its traditional voters identified with it. Last week, Ms. Bhutto wrote a formal letter to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting that the symbol, copyright of the PPP, be given to the PPP Parliamentarians or to none at all.

In her letter she wrote, "the PPP under my leadership contested the last four general elections under the symbol of the arrow. The symbol is associated with the PPP and is considered a copyright of the party''.

However, the Pakistan Muslim League, till recently led by the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was not so lucky. The Commission did not concede its request for retaining the `lion' symbol and, instead, allotted it `tiger'. The rival faction of the party had sought the same symbol.

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