Abdul Rahman Hurr Bajwa topped the list with 1,362 votes, closely followed by Raja M. Aleem Khan Abbasi
Misbehavior by lawyers has become a normal practice, so litigants have no choice but to let it go and the Bar Council will always favor lawyers, even if it has to cross lines. The recent row with the bench is a good example. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS
The Islamabad Bar Council has issued an official notification confirming the five elected candidates for the 2026-2030 term.
According to the notification signed by ICT Advocate General and Returning Officer Ayyaz Shaukat, Abdul Rahman Hurr Bajwa got 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 completes the list of elected officials with 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.
Polling for the Islamabad Bar Council elections was underway two weeks ago. More than 6,000 lawyers were eligible to elect five members for the 2026-2030 term, with voters allowed to choose up to five candidates.
Twenty judges of district and session courts act as presiding officer and polling officers. Twenty polling stations were set up across the city, complemented by tight security at the district court complex. The courts remain closed all day, with judges on duty handling urgent matters.
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A total of 21 candidates were in the fray, including several notable personalities 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 reflect procedures observed in other bar councils. Previous polls in Punjab have seen objections to changes in presiding officers, highlighting the high stakes and sensitivity of bar politics.
