Tough contest likely in LBA polls today

LAHORE

A tough competition is expected in Lahore Bar Association’s elections for the slot of president between traditional rival groups, Friend’s group led by Asma Jahangir and professional group headed by Hamid Khan.

The election is scheduled to be held today (Saturday) on the premises of district and sessions courts; 15,620 lawyers will exercise their right of vote to elect the president for year 2016-17. The polling will start at 9am and will end at 5pm.

Arshad Jahangir Jhoja is contesting for president under the flag of Friend’s group while Professional group has fielded Chaudhry Tanveer Akhtar to compete Jhoja.

The News has learnt that Arshad Jahangir Jhoja is enjoying support of PPP lawyers led by Khurram Latif Khan Khosa, Ali Zafar president SCBA, Peer Masood Chishti president LHCBA and member Punjab Bar Council, PML-N lawyers, Pakistan Bar Council. Chaudhry Tanveer Akhtar has support of Awami Tehreek, Khatam-e-Nabuwat Lawyers Forum, and members of Pakistan Bar Council, including Maqsood Butar, Chaudhry Hafeez, Ishtiaq A Khan, Kamran Zaheer Shaikh and others.  Both aspirants for the slot of president while talking to The News said that they would do everything for the betterment of lawyer community. Both claimed about their win saying that community would vote for them.

Moreover, there are nine candidates fighting for two seats of vice-president and a tough competition is being expected among three contenders, including Irfan Sadiq Tarar, Shahid Maqsood Bhula and Naveed Chughtai of Jatt bradei. It is said that Irfan Sadiq and Naveed Chughtai will be wining candidates but Rana Saeed Anwar could not be ignored as he could have an advantage of division of votes. Above said three candidates belong to Jatt Baradri while Rana is Rajput; so division of votes in Jatt clan could give a winning advantage to Rana Saeed. On one seat of vice-president of Model Town seat Shehzad Khan Kakar is fighting against Mian Muhammad Naeem. On two seats of secretaries there are 12 candidates fighting LBA election but Babar Hamayun Chohan and Chaudhry Irfan Ali are prominent after ending of election campaign.

LBA pundits believe that Asma’s candidate for the slot of President Arshad Jahangir Jhoja has an advantage over Hamid Khan’s candidate Chaudhry Tanveer Akhtar. Arshad Jahnagir Johoja is contesting for the second time LBA polls which gives him an advantage. However, on the other hand, lawyers are of the view that last days of campaign of Tanveer Akhtar were fully charged and he has managed to get support of many groups and lawyers and has turned competition into a tough one.