BAHAWALPUR: After counting of the votes polled to elect president of the high court bar association Bahawalpur four times, the two contenders bagged equal votes – 1,016.

Incumbent Mian Nawazish Ali Peerzada, a PPP-backed candidate, contested for a second term, while his rival Chaudhry Noor Hassan of Bahawalnagar enjoyed the support of the PML-N. During the polling, which remained largely peaceful despite high tension due to grouping, media was denied access inside the high court building and around polling booths. Leaders of the both rival parties visited the polling venue on Saturday.

Chairman of the election board, Ghazanfar Ali, told Dawn on Sunday that since both candidates had secured equal votes, the one-year term of a president would be divided between the winning candidates with six months each. He said both winners will decide on Monday who wanted to avail the first six months. He added the winners could move the Punjab Bar Council for its decision.

Ali said that the polled votes were recounted four times as the strength of votes varied every time.

He said the total votes polled were 2,079, while 46 votes were rejected. Rana Arshad Javed by securing 1,253 votes was elected general secretary. Others elected unopposed included Senior Vice President Samina Qureshi, vice presidents Malik Asghar Awan and Munir Ahmed Chaudhry, Joint Secretary Kalimullah Hashmi, Finance Secretary Khawaja Ghulam Murtaza, Library Secretary Hafiz Asghar Bhatti, members of the executive council Khawaja Muhammad Tahir Qayyum, Muhammad Iqbal Lashari, Chaudhry Umar Mehmood, Muhammad Tahir Bashir, Arman Anjum, Syed Shakir Bokhari, Syed Asfaq Bokhari, Fayyaz Ahmed and Raees Abdul Qayyum.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2017