QUETTA: The Professional Panel, also known as the Hamid Khan group, won the Balochistan Bar Council elections, securing six out of eight seats, while its rival Independent Panel managed to win only two.

According to election results, the Professional Panel bagged three of the four seats from the Quetta Zone, while Independent Panel, also known as the late Asma Jhangir group, took one. In the remaining four seats from other parts of Balochistan, the Professional Panel won three more seats.

For the five-year Balochistan Bar Council elections, five zones were established across the province. From Quetta Zone, Afzal Harifal, Nadir Chhalgari, and Najeeb Kakar of the Professional Panel, and Mir Attaullah Lango of the Independent Panel were elected as members. In total, 1,474 lawyers cast their votes in Quetta. Mir Attaullah Lango secured the highest number of votes with 529, followed by Afzal Harifal with 499, Nadir Chhalgari with 472, and Najeeb Kakar with 470.

From other divisions, Jadeen Dashti (Mekran), Raheb Buledi (Nasirabad), and Ayaz Mandokhail (Zhob) of the Professional Panel were elected, while Khalid Mehmood from Kalat won on the rival’s ticket.­

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2025