ISLAMABAD – Three lesser-known political parties have withdrawn their application from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after attempting to register an opposition alliance under the name Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) — already in use by a major coalition led by Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
The parties — Pakistan Aman Tehreek, Pakistan Falahi Tehreek, and Pakistan Welfare Party — initially sought to form an alliance and register it with the same TTAP title, a move that sparked objections from the original opposition bloc.
ECP Intervention
During the hearing, representatives of the existing TTAP accused the applicants of trying to “steal” their identity and mislead voters. The ECP questioned the legitimacy of the application, prompting one representative to deny filing it altogether and calling it a misunderstanding.
Following the proceedings, the commission directed the applicants to withdraw their plea, warning of possible action if they failed to comply. The parties then submitted handwritten withdrawal requests, effectively ending the controversy.
Political Impact
The incident highlights growing competition among Pakistan’s political groups to claim established names and recognition ahead of future elections. It also underscores the need for clearer regulations on political alliance registrations to prevent such disputes.
The original TTAP coalition, which includes parties such as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), has stated it will continue to safeguard its identity from misuse.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.