Abdul Rahman Hurr Bajwa tops the list with 1,362 votes, closely followed by Raja M. Aleem Khan Abbasi.
Misconduct by lawyers has become a normal practice, so litigants have no option but to let it go and the Bar Council will always favor lawyers even if it has to cross any line. An example of this is the recent dispute with the bench. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS
The Bar Council of Islamabad has issued an official notification confirming the five candidates elected for the term 2026-2030.
According to the notification signed by ICT Advocate General and Returning Officer Ayyaz Shaukat, Abdul Rahman Hurr Bajwa secured the highest number of votes, topping the list with 1,362 votes. Raja M. Aleem Khan Abbasi followed closely with 1,350 votes.
Chaudhry Hafeez Ullah Yaqub was declared the winner with 1,292 votes, while Muhammad Zafar Khokhar won with 1,290 votes.
Asif Irfan completed the list of elected members, obtaining 1,125 votes.
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The five candidates will be members of the Islamabad Bar Council for the next five years, the notification added.
Elections for the Islamabad Bar Council elections began two weeks ago. More than 6,000 lawyers had the right to elect five members for the 2026-2030 term, and voters could choose up to five candidates.
Twenty district and session court judges serve as presiding officers and election officials. Twenty polling stations have been set up throughout the city, complemented by tight security at the District Judicial Complex. The courts remain closed during the day and the judges on duty deal with urgent matters.
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A total of 21 candidates were in the race, including several notable figures such as Abdul Rehman Bajwa, Asif Irfan, Chaudhry Hafizullah Yaqub, Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf Gujar, Chaudhry Talat Mehmood Anjum, Faisal Yunus Abbasi and former IHCBA president Raiyat Ali Azad.
The elections mirror procedures seen at other bar councils. Previous polls in Punjab have seen objections to changes in presidents, underscoring the high stakes and sensitivity of bar politics.
