RECENT elections for high court bar associations dealt the Ahsan Bhoon-led Independent Group a significant blow, as it was defeated at the hands of candidates backed by the Hamid Khan-led Professional Group in three major hubs — Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad — on one single day, despite strong government backing.

These losses have raised serious concerns within the Independent Group, also known as the Asma Jahangir Group, which has traditionally maintained a strong grip over bar associations across the country.

Political insiders and legal experts suggest that recent judicial appointments played a crucial role in weakening the group’s influence, even among its long-standing allies.

The controversy surrounding these appointments became more evident when Akhtar Hussain, who represented the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) in the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), quit the post just a day before the elections, citing differences over nominations. Clearly, his resignation underscored the dissatisfaction in legal circles over recent judicial appointments.

Setback for ‘pro-govt’ Independent Group in recent high court bar elections lays bare lawyers’ grouse over 26th amendment, recent judicial appointments

Owing to the sensitivity of the situation, Mr Bhoon came forward to replace Mr Hussain in the JCP.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, a key figure in the Independent Group, had actively participated in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections on Oct 30, 2024.

Broad changes

These elections are being seen as a referendum of sorts on the 26th Amendment, which brought sweeping changes to the process of appointing the judges, including new criteria for judicial induction, elevation, and promotions. The amendment also restructured the JCP by increasing the number of government members in it, thereby giving the executive a greater role in making appointments.

Following these changes, the JCP oversaw new appointments in the Islamabad High Court, Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court, Peshawar High Court, and Balochistan High Court.

Moreover, seven high court judges were elevated to the Supreme Court. However, the transfer of three judges from different high courts to the IHC triggered strong opposition, as it disrupted the traditional seniority structure.

The Islamabad Bar Association fiercely opposed these transfers, particularly the appointment of Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar as the IHC’s acting chief justice.

Many lawyers saw it as a politically motivated decision that sidelined the candidates who deserved to be considered for the position on the basis of seniority.

Despite being confident of success in the Feb 22 elections, the Independent Group suffered defeats. The group had backed candidates who spent millions of rupees on extravagant campaigns, including lavish high tea, luncheons and dinners to woo voters. Obviously, the results brought disappointment to them.

Abdul Wahid Qureshi, who contested for the post of IHCBA’s president as a candidate of Independent Group, had been optimistic when he launched his campaign a year ago. He admitted that recent judicial appointments had turned the tide against him.

“Everything was going perfectly, but tables were turned all of a sudden,” he lamented.

PML-N’s role

The results from LHCBA’s registry in Rawalpindi were also unexpected, where the PML-N Lawyers Forum openly went against the candidate backed by Mr Bhoon’s group.

Khurram Masood Kiani, backed by the Independent Group, lost the contest for the office of president of LHCBA Rawalpindi registry because the PML-N’s Lawyers Forum supported his opponent Ahsan Hameed Lillah of Professional Group.

Insiders said that PML-N Lawyers Forum, Rawalpindi chapter, was not happy with recent appointments to the LHC.

According to them, lawyers belonging to the PML-N Forum were ignored as government members in the JCP and key leaders of the Independent Group preferred their associates and, in some cases, close relatives to make nominations for top judicial appointments.

In some cases, even names of influential local leaders of PML-N Lawyers Forum were dropped by the headhunt committee led by the law minister.

A leader of PML-N Lawyers Forum, Mohammad Siddiq Awan, topped the JCP’s list of candidates hoping to be appointed as judge of the LHC. However, his name was removed by the leadership of the Independent Group.

‘No surprises’

For some, the result of the LHCBA election was not entirely out of the blue.

Shafqat Chohan, a PBC member from the Professional Group, said that the Independent Group’s earlier defeat in the Lahore District Bar Association elections had already set the stage.

“They formed committees and received millions in funds, yet these committees failed to deliver,” he remarked.

The results indicate that the Independent Group’s traditional dominance of bar associations could be under threat. Indeed, if this trend continues, it could significantly impact their influence in the PBC elections scheduled for October 2025. PBC elections are held every five years.

While Haroon Rashid, a former PBC vice chairman and member of the Independent Group, attempted to downplay his group’s defeats, calling them routine election results, many within the group fear an even bigger challenge in the months ahead.

“When elections happen, one side wins and the other loses,” Mr Rashid stated, conceding that “internal divisions among local lawyers contributed to our defeat.”

With PBC elections expected in October, all eyes will be on whether the Independent Group can recover from these setbacks, or some new legal faction will rise to prominence.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2025