LAHORE: Stage is all set for annual election of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) year 2017-18 being held on Tuesday with candidates of two main rival groups – Professional and Independent - vying for the top slot of president.

Both opponent candidates for the presidential office - Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari and Pir Kaleem Khurshid - were old fellows in the Hamid Khan-led Professional Group till Mr Khurshid changed his loyalty and joined the Asma Jahangir-led Independent Group last year.

This year, the presidential candidates are from Punjab as per rotation policy for the top slot of the SCBA. The turn of Punjab comes after every second year keeping in view the major strength of voters.

Mr Khurshid was elected as president of Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and member of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) being candidate of professional group during dictatorial regime of retired Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He is trying his luck the second time for the SCBA’s president as he had lost his 2015’s election against Syed Ali Zafar of the Independent Group. PBC vice-chairman Ahsan Bhoon, its members Azam Nazir Tarar and Abid Saqi, former governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa and Ramzan Chaudhry are among main supporters of Mr Khurshid.

Mr Ansari previously served as LHCBA’s president and vice-chairman of the PBC; he is known for his man-to-man contact in the legal fraternity and having sharp memory. Lawyers say Mr Ansari never forgets name of a person to who he once meets. He was elevated to the bench as additional judge of the Lahore High Court in 2010 but was not confirmed later.

Lawyers’ wings of all three main political parties - the PML-N, the PPP and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf - are divided on the top slot. Ahmad Awais, an old aide of Hamid Khan, is also backing Mr Khurshid under the banner of a newly formed group - Reformers.

LHC former judge Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi heads this group along other retired judges, especially those ousted by the Supreme Judicial Council for taking oath under Musharraf’s Nov-3 PCO. However, lawyers’ forum of the Jamaat-i-Islami is fully supporting Mr Asnari.

Eight candidates are in run for four seats of vice presidents one each from four provinces. Muhammad Imtiaz Mahl and Qamar Zaman Qureshi are from Punjab, Mian Badar-i-Munir and Mian Rauf Atta from Balochistan, Fareed Ahmad Dayo and Khaleeq Ahmad from Sindh while Malik Masoodur Rehman Awan and Tehmina Mohibullah from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mian Muhammad Aslam and Safdar Hussain Tarar are vying for one slot of secretary. Both are the repeaters as Aslam and Tarar are making their third and second attempts for the office. Vote bank of Arain and Jatt clans in the fraternity would be decisive for the secretary’s seat.

For additional secretary, Ali Ahmad Khan Rana, Chaudhry Aslam Ghumman and Chaudhry Riasat Ali Gondal are the candidates. Arshad Zaman Kayani and Kazi Sheharyar Iqbal are in run for finance secretary.

As many as 2989 members would exercise their right to vote in the polling to be held in all the four provinces.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2017