LAHORE: The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) members are set to elect their new office-bearers for the year 2018-19 on Saturday (today).

As many as 7,291 LBA members will exercise their right to vote in the polling at the Judicial Complex from 9am to 5pm.

The election will be held under the biometric system. Though the bar has 18,451 members, only 7,291 registered themselves for the biometric system.

A close contest is expected for the top slot of president between Malik Arshad and Asim Cheema, candidates of traditional rivals Asma Jahangir-led Independent Group and Hamid Khan-led Professional Group, respectively.

Malik Arshad is contesting second time for the seat he lost earlier to Chaudhry Tanvir Akhtar.

There are 39 candidates for the nine seats, including president.

The candidates for the vice president are Asad Khan, Ijaz Basra, Chaudhry Fawad Ramay, Rana Muhammad Naeem and Maher Tanvir Iftikhar.

Vice president (Model Town seat) nominees are Rana Kauser Ali Sulehri, Syed Mujtaba Kazmi, and Mian Asif Ali. Vice president candidates for Cantonment are Rana Manzoor Ahmad, Syed Zahid Shah Hamdani, Aziz A Bhatti, Muhammad Saeed Sindhu and Mian Sakhawat Ali.

For the slot of secretary, Asif Chuhan, Muhammad Azeem, Chaudhry Qadir Nawaz Ranjha, Rana Kashif Saleem, Abid Hafeez Virk, Faraz Lone, Malik Suhail Murshaid and Malik Maqsood Khokhar are in the run.

M Usman Bhatti, Chaudhry Tehseen Tahir Gujjar, Tayabba Mubarik and Makhdoom Shah Muhammad are running for joint secretary.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2018