LAHORE, Nov 30: Ms Fakharunnisa Khokhar, who retired as a Lahore High Court judge in June this year, on Tuesday formally announced her candidature for the office of the Lahore High Court Bar Association president.

Ms Khokhar told a news conference that she had decided to contest as part of her commitment to democracy, rule of law, independence of the judiciary and human rights.

Flanked by members Pakistan Bar Council Hamid Khan, Kazim Khan and Hafiz Abdur Rehman Ansari, LHCBA president Ahmad Awais and LBA president Mirza Haneef Baig, she said that successive governments and their agents in the judiciary and other walks of life had eroded the independence of the judiciary systematically and the people were facing all kinds of difficulties in securing justice.

A good number of lawyers, mostly hailing from the opposition political parties, attended the ceremony as the Karachi Hall was almost packed to capacity and responsive lawyers applauded her on a number of occasions.

Ms Khokhar, who has already secured the support of the "Professional Group" of lawyers, said that she would further the cause of the community by continuing its struggle for democracy, constitutional scheme of things, rule of law and solving the problems of the litigant public.

The group leaders, who were present at the ceremony, welcomed her decision to contest and announced their unequivocal support in the LHCBA elections that are scheduled to be held in February next.