LAHORE, Feb 17: Awami National Party (ANP) president Ehsan Wyne alleged on Monday that the judicial officers were patronizing the election campaign of one of the candidates contesting the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s annual elections.

“The establishment, along with the judicial officials, is openly running the election campaign of presidential candidate Saiful Malook which amounts to interference in the LHCBA matters,” alleged Mr Wyne at a press conference at the LHC.

He claimed that the whole exercise was aimed at thwarting the efforts of rival candidate Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari.

Former ministers Dr Khalid Ranjha and Rana Ejaz, the Punjab advocate-general, his assistants, and the deputy attorneys-general were allegedly canvassing for Mr Malook, he added.

This official patronage was contemptuous to the traditions of the LHCBA and a democratic platform would be taken hostage by the turncoats if Saiful Malook won, said Mr Wyne.

Istaqlal Party president Manzoor Gilani said both Dr Ranjha and Rana Ejaz had nothing to do with the LHCBA affairs since their memberships had been cancelled when they became ministers during military rule.

Mr Ansari said the current intervention of the establishment in the LHCBA affairs was the result of his opposition to the Legal Framework Order and three-year extension in the retirement age of the judges of higher judiciary.

He warned of strict reaction from lawyers’ community if the alleged official support to his rival candidate continued.