LAHORE: Independent group of late Asma Jahangir reclaimed the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) after two years as its candidate Anwarul Haq Punno was elected as president in annual election held on Saturday.

Mr Punno bagged 3,648 votes against his main opponent Chaudhry Shahid Buttar of Hamid Khan-led Professional group. Mr Buttar obtained 2,949 votes while Aazar Latif of Reformers group could secure 1,164. A total of 7,789 members cast their votes in the polling carried out on the biometric system.

Chaudhry Noor Samand Khan notched the slot of vice president with 2,947 votes and Hassan Iqbal Warraich was elected secretary with 4,724 votes in one-on-one contest with Fayaz Ahmad Ranjha, who got 2,989 votes.

As the supporters of Mr Punno danced to the drumbeat the moment election board chairman Javed Iqbal Raja announced the result. They showered rose petals on the newly elected president. Mr Punno had been enjoying the support of PML-N lawyers forum headed by Naseer Ahmad Bhutta in addition to Pakistan Bar Council members Ahsan Bhoon, Azam Nazir Tarar, Abid Saqi and Supreme Court Bar Association President Pir Kaleem Khurshid.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2018