Detained lawyer elected IHCBA president

Lawyer Zahid Mehmood Raja was elected as the president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) on Thursday.

The polling process continued uninterrupted from 9am to 5pm under strict security measures with the police and Rangers deployed to prevent any mishaps.

After the end of polling time, the election committee announced unofficial results in which Raja Mehmood claimed 585 votes to be elected as the IHCBA president, while Fazl Elahi bagged 649 votes on the vice-president’s seat..

It is pertinent to mention here that Mehmood and his opponent Naveed Hayat are currently incarcerated at Adyala Jail on judicial remand for alleged acts of vandalism in the IHC attack case.

Tasaduq Hanif was elected as the secretary with 767 votes while Akhtar Hussain bagged 597 votes and chosen as the IHCBA joint secretary. The supporters of the successful candidates celebrated the victory and raised slogans.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2021.