SUKKUR, Nov 1 Unofficial results announced on Monday evening by the Election Commissioner have declared Progressive Lawyers Forum as the winner of the Sukkur District Bar Association by defeating the People's Lawyers Forum.

Voting to elect six office-bearers and seven members of the Managing Committee was held on Sunday. Election Commissioner Abdul Baqi Khan Kakar Advocate announced the results.

Shafqat Raheem of Progressive Lawyers Forum defeated his opponent Mukesh Kumar Karerra of People's Lawyers Forum by more than 200 votes.

The other winning candidates include, Humza Buriro as Vice-President, Ali Hyder Ada as General Secretary, Zafar Eidan Mangi as Joint Secretary, Ayaz Noonari as Library Secretary and Shafiq Baber Laghari as Treasurer, along with seven Managing Committee members. The winning margin ranged from 180 to 205 votes.

However, the main contestants were Shafqat Raheem and Mukesh Kumar.

Though, there was a cessation of fours of voting as the name of an independent candidate, Sikander Ali Junejo for the post of Library Secretary, was missing on the ballot paper which also created some misunderstanding among the rival parties.

The losing party proposed extending elections for at least one week but the winner termed it a time-gaining tactics. Instead of postponing the process for one week, the Election Commissioner gave the respite of four hours for getting printed fresh ballot papers which was agreed by both parties and thus voting started at 1pm and continued till 8.30pm without break.

Official results would be announced on Tuesday (Nov 2).

PRICE HIKE The office-bearers of Sukkur Chamber of Commerce and Industry opposing the recent hike in electricity tariff and oil prices warned that it would hit the industry and business. This was stated in a press statement.

President, SCCI, Khalid Mahmood Khan, Vice-President Mohammad Iqbal Arain and members of the Executive Committee said that this would result in increase in transport charges and prices of consumer items and burden the poor people who were already living below the poverty line.

They demanded of the government to withdraw abnormal and unnatural increase.

Chairman, All Sukkur Small Traders and Cottage Industries Haji Mohammad Haroon Memon and leaders of different trade organizations also criticized the increase in the price of petroleum products and said that it would adversely affect the common man as rates of daily use items, including fares of transport would ultimately be increased.

They demanded of the government to withdraw the notification of increase of prices of petroleum products immediately and save people from further miseries.