LAHORE: Fazal-i-Haq Abbasi of the Asma Jahangir-led Independent Democratic Group was elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Association for 2014-15 on Friday.

According to unofficial results, Mr Abbasi secured 1,007 votes while his opponent, Abdul Sattar Khan of the Professional Group led by Hamid Khan, obtained 961.

Both candidates were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since it was the province’s term to get the president’s slot as per the SCBA rotation policy.

Habib Tahir Khan, Syed Sardar Hussain and Shabbir Ahmad Awan were elected vice presidents from Balochistan, KP and Sindh respectively. Shah Abbas was already elected unopposed from Punjab as vice president.

Chaudhry Mohammad Maqsood Ahmad notched up the post of secretary and Syed Anwar Ahmad Shah finance secretary.

Polling stations were set up in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Sukkur and Hyderabad.

After the unofficial results were announced at the Lahore registry of the Supreme Court, supporters of Mr Abbasi started dancing to drumbeat, showered rose petals and lifted him on their shoulders.

Mr Abbasi vowed to resolve issues of the legal fraternity, with focus on the welfare of lawyers. He said the completion of a housing colony for lawyers would be his priority.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2014