March 2, 2003	Sunday	Zul Hijjah 28, 1423

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PESHAWAR, March 1: The Pakistan Awami Party (PAP) has asked the Chief Election Comm-issioner to remove the “Book” from the list of election symbols as it was misused by a religious party during the recent general elections.

According to a press release issued here on Saturday, the PAP’s chief, Fanoos Gujar has sent a letter to the CEC, stating that the religious parties had posed the symbol as Holy Quran to secure more votes by arousing religious sentiments of the people.

Mr Gujar stated that his party was registered with the Election Commission and was assessing the general elections 2002. He added that their cabinet with the consultation of other general members complained that one of the religious parties which was allotted the symbol of “kitab” (book) had misused this symbol.

In one of the posters a leader was holding in his hand the Holy Quran and was convincing the general public to vote for the Holy Quran, he added. In the bottom of the said poster, he added, there was a simple book and thus the general public were deceived. People were given impression that the symbol “book” was a gateway to heaven.

Mr Gujar stated that they did not want to reopen the Election Campaign 2002, but in future the said symbol should be removed from the list of the election symbols. He added that as the formation of the list of the election symbols was within the jurisdiction of the CEC, therefore he requested him to remove the said symbol in future polls.