Campaigns come to end without manifesto

LAHORE - Ending their months long hectic and the most expensive campaign, different groups of lawyers are poised for the Punjab Bar Council elections today (Saturday) when polling for 75 seats is scheduled to be held in all the districts of the province.
Around 60,000 lawyers will elect their representatives for next five years amongst 290 candidates while in Lahore 61 candidates are in the run for 16 slots.
In the metropolis, massive arrangements have been made for the polling to be held at premises of newly constructed judicial complex from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Chief Justice LHC Khawaja Muhammad Sharif has already announced holiday in courts while judicial officers are directed to supervise the polls.
Professional Group led by Hamid Khan, Arian Group headed by Mian Israr-ul Haq and Jatt Group led by Ashraf Wahla is the contest.
Caste loyalties have always been an important factor in the lawyers’ politics but this time, it seemed, heavy spending have overshadowed everything as a large number of candidates hosted sumptuous breakfasts, luncheons and dinners during the campaign on daily basis. All the candidates started campaigning six months prior to the polls to muster up support from over 18,000 voters of the Lahore Division.
Generally, candidates rely on professionalism, personal contacts, potential to address the problems being faced by the community and acumen to line up the lawyers on government policies, particularly on democracy, independence of judiciary and supremacy of the constitution. But this time around, all these factors are missing as not a single candidate or group has given its manifesto. Arrange a big lavishing lunch or dinner and the candidate’s rating starts to go up, has become the order of the day. Display of big posters and banners also featured the elections in a complete contrast to what was practiced previously. Advocate General Punjab Chief Election Commission Muhammad Hanif Khatana admitted that all these activities were sheer violation of Legal Practitioner and Bar Councils Act 1974 but expressed his inability to take action against any candidate.
Although political affiliations count but this is not all a candidate benefits from as voters mainly go after their own choice, rising above their political liking or disliking. As for the political parties, they show their interest in the bar is to create a pocket for themselves in the community. PML-N has issued a list of 14 candidates for Lahore seats while People’s Lawyers Forum has announced lesser number of candidates.