LAHORE - The lawyers’ groups have speeded up campaigns for the annual elections of the Lahore High Court Bar Associations (LHCBA) with traditional fervour and zeal.
About 8,000 members would exercise their voting right on February 28. However, unlike the previous years, the lawyers would cast their votes through biometric system.
The groups have announced their candidates for the elections of the LHCBA. Independent Group of Asma Jahangir has fielded up Peer Masood Chishti for the slot of president while Shahid Maqbool Sheikh is the presidential candidate of Professional Group of Hamid Khan.
Peer Masood Chishti is former federal secretary law while his rival candidate Shahid Maqbool Sheikh is former president of Lahore Bar Association. For vice-president, there are two candidates including Sofia Masood and Irfan Arif Sheikh.
For secretary, there are total three candidates namely Malik Muhammad Ahmad Qayuum, son of famous high court judge and attorney general of Pakistan Malik Abdul Qayuum and Mian Ashgar Advocate. Farooq Amjad Mir Advocate, who is former MNA, is said to be the candidate of bar’s election on the seat of Secretary this year.  
Among the candidates of Finance Secretary, Amna Ajmal, Nabiha Manzoor Jafree, Akthar Sherazi and Azeem Akmal are prominent.
The campaigns of the groups have been started to support their favorite candidates; posters, placards, banners and stickers of the contesting candidates are being displayed around the bar.
The adjoining streets and roads are also being decorated by stickers and banners of the candidates.
The families’ (clan) role has always been very important in bars’ elections, especially of Arain, Rajput, Sheikh, Jutt and Syed families. Sheikh family will support Shahid Maqbool Shikh while Arain family (which is considered the biggest family in legal fraternity) will back Malik Ahmad Qayyum.
Strict security arrangements will be made on the elections day. Walks through gates will be installed on the entry points outside the polling stations.