LAHORE/BAHAWALPUR: Chaudhry Umar Hayat has won the presidential seat in the annual elections of the High Court Bar Association, Multan, securing a decisive lead over his opponent, according to the results announced so far.

Chaudhry Umar Hayat obtained 3,326 votes to clinch the presidency, defeating rival candidate Syed Athar Hassan Shah Bukhari, who secured 1,896 votes. A total of 5,291 votes were cast for the presidential slot. Out of 13,083 registered voters, the turnout remained 40.44 per cent.

Election officials said that only the result of the president’s seat has been declared so far, while counting of votes for other seats is still underway.

Results for the remaining offices will be announced after completion of the counting process. The polling remained peaceful, with active participation from members of the bar.Ms Samina Qureshi and Saqib Tariq were declared elected president and general secretary, respectively, of High Court Bar Association, Bahawalpur, on Saturday.

According to announcement by chairman Shafi Tariq of election board, Ms Samina Qureshi, who will be the first-ever woman president since the inception of high court bar association, Bahawalpur, during former Bahawalpur State era, obtained 1815 votes against her rival Muhammad Yasin Ataal’s 793.

The elected general secretary Saqib Tariq secured 1237 votes against his rival Jam Shukaib Lar’s 969 votes. Besides, Rana Muhammad Sheraz Khalid and Sardar Abdullah Iqbal Channar were declared elected as senior vice-president and joint secretary, respectively.

Other office-bearers had already been declared elected unopposed.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026