Aitzaz Ahsan backed by professional group has been elected as president Supreme Court Bar Association(SCBA) for the year 2007-08 by defeating his sole contestant Barrister Zafarrullah by 864 votes. The professional group led by prominent lawyer Hamid Khan swept the SCBA elections.
After being elected as SCBA president, according to unofficial results, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan vowed to continue lawyers' struggle for the rule of law, supremacy of constitution and establishment of real democracy in the country. He dubbed his victory a defeat of Musharraf's regime and a rejection of his policies by the legal fraternity.
The official results of the election will be announced on October 31. After Sindh, this year presidency rotates towards Punjab where Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, was up against Barrister Zafarullah Khan, head of Watan Party, who could secure only 175 votes.
Aitzaz was backed by Professional Group of Hamid Khan, Ali Ahmad Kurd, Tariq Mahmood, Kazim Khan, Ahmad Awais and Muhammad Ramzan Chaudhry. Aitzaz said lawyers' unity was intact to defeat anti-constitutional policies of the rulers. His success, he said, has set a new direction for the country. He vowed to live up to the expectations the community and the people have rest in him.
A large number of lawyers including Group leader, Hamid Khan, Vice President LHCBA Miss Firdous Butt, Secretary Sarfraz Ahmad Cheema, former President LHCBA Ahmad Awais, Member Pakistan Bar Council Muhammad Kazim Khan, PLF President Muhammad Hanif Tahir, President Secretary Information PPP Punjab, Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, Iftikhar Shahid and retired justice Fakharun Nisa Khokhar congratulated Aitzaz on the triumphant victory.
Chaudhry Muhammad Amin Javed has been elected as Secretary after receiving 569 votes where his close contestant former Assistant Advocate General Suhail Dar received 339 votes.
Ghulam Nabi Bhatti defeated Muhammad Tahir Chaudhry to become Vice President of Punjab while Sakhi Sultan defeated Kamran Murtaza in Balochistan and Imdad Ali Awan defeated Ghulam Qadir Jatoi and Muhammad Sadiq Hidyatullah in the Sindh and Muhammad Saeed Akhtar Khan elected as Vice President NWFP after he defeated Abdul Rauf Khan, Abdullah Saani and Malik Manzoor Hussain.
Zaheer Ahmad Qadri has already been elected unopposed as Finance Secretary while Abdul Rashid Awan elected as for Additional Secretary. For two Executive Body seats Miss Musarrat Hilali and Muzammal Khan have returned unopposed from NWFP.