The World : Pakistan Party Role OKd

The Pakistani Supreme Court overturned a decree issued by the late President Zia ul-Haq and ruled that candidates in next month’s election may run under the banner of a political party. The decision by the nation’s highest court was a victory for opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who had sought to overturn the edict that said candidates must run as individuals, unaffiliated with political parties. The ruling is expected to benefit Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party against the Zia loyalists, who are split into two factions of the center-right Pakistan Muslim League. The court also ruled that parties can use election symbols, an important factor in a country where three-quarters of the electorate is illiterate.