In the upcoming elections set for February 8, it’s not just the political debates that are making headlines but also the unique symbols given to candidates.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has drawn attention by assigning symbols like bowls, shoes, harmoniums, tongs, hens, bottles, and pomegranates to those running for office.
Aamir Mughal, an ally of the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has adopted an eggplant or ‘baingan’ symbol for his campaign.
Mughal believes that his use of the eggplant has made him famous, to the point where it’s also led to increased prices for the vegetable. “This symbol is giving me an extraordinary fame,” Mughal stated, noting that people recognize the eggplant as associated with Imran Khan’s candidate.
Ejaz Gaddan from Bahawalpur was less pleased with his symbol, a bed, which he now sees as an insult rather than a sign of rest or conclusion. Gaddan complained, “This is not an election, this is cruelty. My symbol is already available in every household. I don’t have to introduce it to my constituents.”
The situation was similarly difficult for Shehryar Afridi, a former minister from Kohat, who was assigned a bottle as his symbol—a choice that can imply emptiness or even alcoholism in Pashtun culture.
Afridi chose to reinterpret the bottle as a medicine container, saying, “A bottle doesn’t only represent alcohol, it also represents medicine. That’s why we’ve transformed our electoral symbol into a medicine bottle — so that we can address all societal ailments.”
Other candidates also find themselves in challenging positions due to their unique symbols:
- Salman Akram Raja from NA-128 is campaigning with a ‘racquet.’
- Latif Khosa has the English letter ‘K’ for his NA-122 campaign.
- Mehr Bano Qureshi from NA-151 is represented by a ‘chimta’ (pair of tongs).
- Shoaib Shaheen for NA-46 has been assigned a ‘shoe.’
- Shandana Gulzar in NA-30 Peshawar is using a ‘piyala’ (bowl).
- Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in NA-10 Buner is campaigning with a ‘kettle.’
- Jamshed Dasti allotted a ‘harmonium’ for his NA-175 campaign.
The unusual symbols have certainly added an unexpected twist to the election campaigns, leading to both increased recognition for some and a sense of dissatisfaction for others.
