The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regime has faced another setback as the Asma Group, which is being considered as an anti-government section of lawyers, has got an overwhelming majority in the elections of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) — an apex regularity body of lawyers.
The 17 members out of 23 elected from the Asma Group, which is known as the Independent Lawyers Group, in the PBC elections held on Thursday.
However, the official result of the PBC elections will be announced on January 5.
Interestingly, most of the elected members are associated with opposition parties, which have formed the anti-government alliance — the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
A few of them are top legal minds of their parties.
Elected members are — Haroonur Rasheed (Islamabad), Muneer Kakar (Balochistan), Muhammad Tariq Afridi, Khushdil Khan, Muhammad Faheem Vali and Syed Amjad Shah (K-P), Farooq H Naek, Shahadat Awan, Shahab Sarki, Abid Shahid Zuberi, Riazat Ali Sahar and Muhammad Yousaf Laghari (Sindh).
Besides, Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon, Azam Nazir Tarar, Abid Hussain Saqi, Tahir Nasrullah Warraich, Muhammad Masood Chishti, Hafeezur Rehman Ch, Hassan Raza Pasha, Syed Qalb-i-Hasan, Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig, Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan and Shafqat Mehmood (Punjab) have also emerged as a winning candidates.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) top legal expert Farooq Naek has also elected as PBC member. The Express Tribune has learnt that PPP, PML-N, ANP, JUI-F legal wings have played pivotal role to help the Asma Group members to win the contest.
Interestingly, Federal Minister Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and PTI legal wing Chairman Ali Zafar are also associated with same group.
However, it is witnessed in the past that constituent parties of the PDM have greater influence on the Asma Group.
Same lawyers group gave tough time to the incumbent government on the issues related to civil liberties, freedom of speech and Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.
Even the Asma Group had opposed the government decision to extend tenure of incumbent Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Similarly, same lawyers section had arranged all-party conference (APC) on critical issues in September last year, which provided platform to opposition parties to evolve a narrative against the PTI regime.
The same group provided legal aides to the PDM leaders.
Political analysts believe that role of bar is very critical in prevailing political situation wherein opposition are agitating against alleged growing role of establishment in decision making.
As the government is expecting the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case to be concluded this year, outspoken PBC member Syed Amjad Ali Shah, who elected with the support of JUI-F and ANP believes that they will strongly resist any move regarding removal of the superior judiciary court judge.
Shah cautioned the superior judiciary and establishment that that malafide move for ousting Supreme Court judge will weak federation and spark unrest in the country.
Muneer Kakar, who is only the PBC member elected from Balochistan, said that his mandate is to safeguard and protect the tenure of independent judges like Justice Isa.
He also expressed serious concern over the reports about manipulation of judicial proceedings to disqualify opposition parties’ leaders.
It is learnt that in prevailing political situation, the Asma Group members have started deliberations for the nomination of PBC vice chairman.
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