ISLAMABAD:
The Independent Group, famously known as Asma Jahangir Group, on Tuesday won the annual election of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the year 2023-24 by 464 votes against the Professional Group, according to unofficial results.
Elections were held at 12 polling stations across the country from 9am-5pm.
The Asma Jahangir Group was declared victorious on 13 out of 17 seats, including the SCBA president and secretary seat until the filing of this report.
As many as 3,756 members of the bar exercised their right to vote.
The Independent Group was founded in 2010 when the late human rights activist Asma Jahangir decided to run for president of the SCBA. After a nail-biting contest, she won the polls and became the first female president of the SCBA.
Meanwhile, the Professional Group played a key role against General Musharraf’s Legal Framework Order 2002 as well as the lawyers’ movement in 2007 when the late president suspended the then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
During this year’s elections, the Asma Jahangir group fielded Shahzad Shaukat Advocate while its rival Hamid Khan-led Professional group nominated Mian Abdul Quddus for the office of the president from Lahore.
Shaukat was backed by former federal law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and ex-SCBA president Ashan Bhoon.
According to unofficial results, Shaukat notched a total of 1,706 votes whereas Quddus bagged 1,242 votes across the country.
For the SCBA secretary position, Asma Jahangir Group’s Ali Imran Syed was declared victorious after bagging 1,447 votes. His rival Salman Mansoor managed to secure 1,373 votes.
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Shaukat defeated Quddus in Lahore by a margin of 146 votes after securing 611 votes. His rival had managed to get 465 votes. From Bannu, the winning candidate bagged 34 votes whereas his challenger received only one vote.
In Multan, the Asma Jahangir-backed candidate bagged 98 votes while Quddus got 81 votes.
In Quetta, Quddus took lead by securing 103 votes whereas Shaukat grabbed 73 votes.
In Abbottabad, 43 votes were cast in Shaukat’s favour while 22 came in Quddus vote bank. In Sukkur, the Asma Jahangir Group candidate got 41 votes whereas his rival received 12 votes.
In Bahawalpur, Shaukat won with a majority of 40 votes after bagging 60 votes. His rival managed to secure only 20 votes. The winning candidate received 22 votes in Dera Ismail Khan while his opponent got 12 votes.
In Hyderabad, Shaukat defeated Quddus by 33 votes. He clinched 56 votes whereas his rival grabbed 23 votes.
In Karachi, Shaukat lost by a margin of 25 votes. He managed to secure 168 votes while Quddus got 193 votes.
In Peshawar, the Asma Jahangir Group contender bagged 129 votes while his opponent got 100 votes. In Islamabad also, Shaukat was declared victorious after bagging 371 votes against his rival’s 210 votes.
Last year, the Professional Group had won the SCBA polls.
