LAHORE: The Lahore Gymkhana annual elections, scheduled for Feb 15, are set to take a dramatic turn as the ruling Salman Siddique panel has fractured and its members are vying against each other for top spots.

Dr Ali Razzaq, an active and top scorer member of the Salman Siddique panel, has given his own independent panel for the Lahore Gymkhana 2025 elections.

Dr Razzaq says that he has split from his parent panel to break the status quo as the old faces were continuously winning the elections with little or no improvement in the club. “I have presented my panel that mostly comprises new and energetic members,” he said.

Stating that he wanted the Gymkhana elections to be held every two years, Dr Razzaq said his panel would propose to the Gymkhana’s AGM to take a decision in this regard.

Expressing distrust of the election commission, Dr Razzaq panel’s member Qamar Khan – Bobby stressed that the elections should be held in a fair manner and went on to say that the incumbent body had made some 400 permanent members but those new members’ lists were denied to his panel.

Salman Siddique panel’s senior member Mian Misbahur Rehman said that Dr Razzaq got split because he wanted to become Gymkhana chairman. He said the Gymkhana elections were earlier held for a three-year term but the body decided to reduce the tenure to one year. “The Gymkhana should stick to one-year tenure of the elected body instead of going wayward every year.

Commenting on the splinter panel’s vision to bring new and energetic faces in the elected body, another member said Dr Razzaq was himself contesting and winning club elections for almost a decade without any break.

The Salman Siddique panel members are: Salman Siddique, Wajid Aziz Khan, Mian Misbahur Rehman, Sarmad Nadeem, Mian Parvez Bhandara, Samaira Nair Siddiqui, Mian Waqaruddin (Vicky), Shaukat Javed, Sardar Qasim Farooq Ali, Khawaja Imran Zubair, Agha Ali Imam and Mian Azar Saleem.

The Dr Ali Razzaq panel comprises Dr Ali Razzaq, Qamar Khan – Bobby, Syed Abid Hussain, Tahir Raza Naqvi, Asad Aziz Khan, Omar Javaid Zia, Waqar Nisar - Wicky (Tennis), Dr Najamuddin, Aameen Taqi Butt, Sheharyar Shami, Sarmad Malik and Agha Qasim Raza.

Some candidates, it is learnt, are also contesting as independents.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025