LARKANA: For the first time in the history of the High Court Bar Association, Larkana, a Jamaat-i-Islami-backed candidate — Advocate Ashique Hussain Dhamra — has returned unopposed as its president. Advocate Dhamra has remained JI’s Larkana district emir.

The bar’s election for the term 2020-21 is scheduled for March 13 and the Pakistan Peoples Party-backed candidate, Nisar Ahmed Soomro, has already returned unopposed for the slot of vice president.

There were four candidates — advocates Ashfaque Abro, Afzal Jagirani, Riaz Hussain Soomro and Sajjad Hussain Mahesar — in the run for the slot of general secretary but, interestingly, three of them withdrew in favour of Advocate Mahesar after going for a draw. The four candidates and some senior lawyers sat together in the bar room to discuss the poll scenario. They all agreed to settle the matter of contest for the position of general secretary through a draw. The draw was held and Advocate Sajjad Mahesar of the Awami Tehreek won the slot.

Sources said that Inayat Hussain Morio, a member of the Sindh Bar Council, conveyed the arrangement to returning officer Altaf Hussain Surhiyo on March 2 and the three other lawyers withdrew their candidature the same day. Eventually, the returning officer declared Advocate Mahesar elected on the slot uncontested.

Previously dominated by PPP-backed panel, the Sindh High Court Bar Association, Larkana, will now have a combination of top office-bearers affiliated with the JI, PPP and Awami Tehreek though the outgoing president and general secretary are not affiliated with the PPP.

Around 1,100 bar members will cast their votes for the remaining slots and managing committee members.

It is learnt that senior pro-PPP lawyers in consultation decided to give the position of president to JI’s Ashique Dhamrah considering that he had been supporting PPP candidates in the bar’s previous elections.

Sources said that senior lawyers were still making efforts to see the remaining posts of joint secretary, treasurer and library secretary were decided under a similar arrangement.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2021