The annual elections for the Lahore High Court Bar Association have been overshadowed by intense controversy, as competing factions have both declared victory, plunging the legal community into uncertainty. The electoral battle primarily involved two prominent groups led by Ahsen Bhon and Hamid Khan, each backing their own candidates for key positions within the bar. What was expected to be a routine democratic exercise turned into a heated dispute marked by accusations of irregularities and procedural violations.
the election board, the presidential candidate representing the Hamid Khan group, Babar Murtaza, was declared the winner approximately an hour before the scheduled conclusion of polling. This premature announcement sparked immediate backlash from the rival Ahsen Bhon faction, which vehemently rejected the results. The tension escalated further when allegations surfaced regarding the miscasting of votes, including a notable incident involving Punjab Bar Council member Masood Khokhar’s ballot, which the Bhon group claimed was improperly recorded.
In response to these claims, the Ahsen Bhon group demanded a thorough investigation, calling upon the biometric IT official responsible for overseeing the electronic voting system to explain the discrepancies. The situation deteriorated rapidly as the election board suspended the polling process amidst the uproar and proceeded to announce the results ahead of the planned timeline. Official figures released by the board indicated that Babar Murtaza secured 6,234 votes, while Raja Amir Khan, the presidential candidate from the Ahsen Bhon camp, garnered 3,781 votes.
Beyond the presidential race, other key positions were also contested fiercely. Qasim Ijaz Samra emerged victorious in the secretary post with 5,429 votes, while Sohail Qaiser Tarar won the vice president seat by securing 4,160 votes. The finance secretary role was claimed by Malik Ali Raza Khokhar, who received 2,068 votes. Despite these declared outcomes, the Ahsen Bhon group outrightly dismissed the election results, going so far as to physically occupy the bar president’s office. Raja Amir Khan addressed a gathering of lawyers, asserting that the bar community had recognized him as the rightful president and vowed to commence his duties immediately, including holding a press conference to outline his plans.
Meanwhile, the Hamid Khan faction maintained that the election process was conducted fairly, pointing to the early suspension of polling at 3:00 pm due to the alleged irregularities they themselves observed. They justified the premature announcement of results at 3:15 pm as a necessary step under the circumstances. The election commission assured that forensic examinations of the disputed votes would be undertaken to ensure transparency and fairness. However, in a move that further inflamed tensions, members of the Hamid Khan group reportedly removed critical IT equipment, including computers and servers used during the election, raising concerns about the preservation of electoral records.
Raja Amir Khan condemned these actions, accusing the Hamid Khan group of announcing fabricated results well before the official end of polling and unlawfully seizing election materials and bar assets. He announced plans to pursue legal recourse against those responsible and invited supporters to a victory celebration scheduled for March 2 at 10:00 am in Karachi Hall within the Lahore High Court premises. On the other hand, Babar Murtaza expressed gratitude to the legal fraternity for their backing, emphasizing that the principles of law and constitutional supremacy had ultimately prevailed. He also promised a grand celebration of their victory on the upcoming Monday.
The atmosphere during the vote counting was reportedly charged, with supporters from both camps chanting slogans and vocally expressing their allegiance. Given the heightened tensions, authorities had deployed stringent security measures throughout the election day, including the presence of additional police forces tasked with maintaining order and preventing any outbreak of violence. This episode has not only exposed deep divisions within the Lahore High Court Bar Association but also raised questions about the integrity and transparency of its electoral processes, signaling the need for reforms to restore confidence among the legal community.
