PTI-backed candidate secures LBA presidency

Mubashir Rehman Chaudhry has been elected as the new president of the Lahore Bar Association for the year 2025-26, achieving a remarkable victory over candidates backed by the PML-N.

The election took place on Saturday, with the Professional Group, led by senior lawyer and PTI senator Hamid Khan, backing Rehman.

He garnered 2,400 votes, while his rival, Muhammad Faiz Ali, received 1,807 votes. Notably, independent candidate Advocate Adeeb Aslam Bhindar secured 2,088 votes, surpassing candidates from the PML-N-backed group by 281 votes.

The election results have sparked mixed reactions within the legal community, with some expressing dissatisfaction toward the PML-N-backed lawyer groups. Others noted that the affiliation of lawyers with political parties can significantly impact the LBA elections.

There were ongoing concerns regarding previous bar representatives, whose decisions negatively affected the Independent Group, traditionally known as the Asma Jahangir Group. This group has recently shifted to being associated with senior lawyer Ahsan Bhoon, who is closely aligned with Azam Nazir Tarar, the current federal law minister.

A total of 14,712 voters were eligible to cast their ballots under the supervision of LBA election board chairman Chaudhry Imran Masood.

The election included six candidates vying for two vice president positions, with three each contesting from the Model Town and Cantonment courts.

Mian Sharjeel received 4,476 votes to be elected as LBA's senior vice president, while Malik Saif Khokhar secured 3,023 votes for vice president.