Polling is under way on Thursday for the annual elections of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) with everyone focused on the president’s slot for which Abdul Latif Afridi and Abdul Sattar Khan are in the contest, reported 24News HD TV channel.

Both candidates are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the office is reserved for the provinces on a rotational basis. 

These elections are of even more significance given the prevailing political situation in the country as the opposition parties, including PML-N and PPP, have backed Afridi, a respected and seasoned lawyer nominated by the Independent Lawyers Group, commonly known by the name of Asma Jahangir Group.

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On the other hand, Sattar is a nominee of Hamid Khan-led Professional Lawyers Group but he has been unable to garner the support of Insaf Lawyers Forum Chairman Ali Zafar who is also backing Afridi, the rival group nominee.

However, government members like Law Minister Farogh Nasim are campaigning for the Hamid Khan Group nominee.

Afridi is known for his anti-establishment stance and a staunch supporter of the Constitution’s supremacy and human right.

People from different schools of thought on social media are praising the two main opposition parties for backing him.

A total of 3,177 lawyers are eligible for voting as the polling started at 8am which will continue till 5pm.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Shehzad Rana and Amir Sohail – backed by Asma Jahangir Group and Hamid Khan Group respectively – are in the contest for the SCBA secretary.