Hazara lawyers gear up for bar polls

Five seats being contested by 15 candidates, making race closely watched

ABBOTTABAD:

Election activities for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council are in full swing across the Hazara Division, with lawyers from Abbottabad, Mansehra, and Haripur intensifying their campaigns in support of their respective candidates.

A large gathering was held on the lawns of the Abbottabad Bar Club in honour of candidate Advocate Asad Khan Jadoon, drawing a significant number of lawyers who pledged their votes and full support. The event was presided over by senior lawyer Ayyub Awan, while Supreme Court Bar Council member Tahir Faraz Abbasi and former High Court Bar Association presidents Qazi Muhammad Azhar and Sardar Aman addressed the gathering, declaring their full backing for Asad Khan Jadoon.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council elections are scheduled for November 1, 2025. Of the province's 28 seats, five are allocated to the Hazara Division — two each for Abbottabad and Mansehra, and one for Haripur. A total of 15 candidates are contesting these seats, making the competition intense and closely watched.

In Abbottabad, eight candidates are in the running for two seats. Prominent contenders include former District Bar President Asad Khan Jadoon and former K-P Bar Council members Syed Faisal Shah and Ali Khan Jadoon. Other candidates are Kamran Gul, Saeed Tanoli, Malik Waseem, and Zareef Qureshi, while Abdul Aziz Khan Tanoli is contesting as a covering candidate for Syed Faisal Shah.

In Haripur, a direct contest is expected between two former District Bar Presidents, Asadullah Malik and Syed Shahid Shah. In Mansehra, five candidates — Waqas Raza Khan, Sardar Waqarul Mulk, Hafiz Naseem Khan, Rafique Yousaf, and Kamran Rehmani — are vying for two seats.

Across the Hazara Division, 2,370 lawyers are eligible to cast their votes, including 850 in Abbottabad, 702 in Haripur, and 600 in Mansehra. A smaller number of voters from Havelian, Ghazi, Balakot, Oghi, and Battagram will also participate in polling.