ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday officially allocated the election symbol to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s newly formed party, Awaam Pakistan Party.
The party has been assigned the Ghariyal (clock tower) as its electoral symbol, signaling the party’s entry into the political arena.
The newly registered Awaam Pakistan Party aims to offer an alternative to the country’s traditional political parties. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former Prime Minister, leads the party as its convener. Other key figures in the party’s leadership include Miftah Ismail, former Finance Minister, and Mehtab Abbasi, who also hold significant positions within the party.
The official registration of the party took place on January 10, 2025, after the ECP recognized its intra-party elections. According to ECP sources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi serves as the party’s convener, and Miftah Ismail holds the position of Secretary General. The party had submitted the necessary details of its intra-party elections on June 26, 2024.
With the formal registration of Awaam Pakistan Party, the total number of political parties registered with the ECP has now reached 168. However, the intra-party elections of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are still pending recognition, although PTI continues to be listed as a registered political entity.
The formation of Awaam Pakistan Party comes after former leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail, officially launched the party in July 2024. The initiative was fueled by a desire to move away from hereditary politics, with Miftah Ismail emphasizing that the party would prioritize competence over electability.
At the launch event, both Abbasi and Ismail had expressed their discontent with the current state of politics, lamenting that many politicians prioritized their own self-preservation rather than serving the public.
Abbasi noted, “It is upsetting that we worry about our seats more than our country,” while also offering hope that the desire for a better future among the public could lead to a political transformation.
The newly formed party has adopted the slogan “Awaam Pakistan: Badlein ge nizam,” which translates to “Awaam Pakistan: We will change the system.” Although the party has not yet issued formal invitations to join, it has hinted that it will do so in the future.
The formation of Awaam Pakistan Party reflects a broader dissatisfaction with traditional political structures in Pakistan. The leaders have been working on this political project since 2022-2023 after leaving their respective parties due to policy disagreements. Through this new initiative, they hope to provide an alternative to the current political landscape and bring about significant change in the country’s governance.
