LAHORE – The Professional Group led by Hamid Khan won the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) elections, as its candidate for the presidential slot Asghar Ali Gill won by defeating Rai Bashir of the Friends Alliance, which was backed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Asma Jahangir and Federal Law Minister Senator Dr Babar Awan. Gill secured 4,172 votes against Bashir’s 2,610.
The contest was expected to be a close one but Gill emerged victorious with a lead of 1,562 votes. The win gives a breathing space to the Professional Group after it lost all other major elections to the Friends Alliance including the SCBA, Pakistan Bar Council and the Lahore Bar Association (LBA). Asma was supporting the Friends Alliance, as it had helped her win the SCBA presidential slot.
Mian Jahangir has been elected as vice president by defeating his opponent Malik Ijaz Gorcha. Jahangir bagged 3,885 votes while Gorcha obtained 1,806. A close contest was witnessed in the LHCBA secretary election, as Malik Arshad Awan bagged 2,704 votes against Sardar Akbar Dogar’s 2,692. Mian Azam became finance secretary by obtaining 5,447 votes against Munawar Gondal’s 1,100.
Voter turnout remained low, as only 50 percent lawyers cast their votes and 6,739 votes were cast out of total 13,508. Supporters of both groups were seen lobbying all day and tight security arrangements were in place to avoid any untoward incident while no outsider was allowed to enter the court premises.
The winning panel started celebrating as soon as the official results were announced.
Professional Group wins LHCBA polls
