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For the very first time I am closely following the Pakistan Bar Council Elections. And I have come to the conclusion that without money there is no chance for you. There is no such thing as honoring or respecting professionalism. It's either party or money and more the latter.
And this makes it very obvious that all the talk of Senate Election being ridden with money and the allegations from all corners about it are meaningless. At every tier in this country there is corruption. I just want to highlight how it's achieved.
For there are three elections held every year whereby elections to Tehsil/District Bar the High Court Bar and Supreme Court Bar Association are held wherein the candidates are voted by the respective members of the bar. The office bearers stay in office for one year term.
There are then elections to the provincial bar councils which are held every five years and the returned candidates remain in office for a period of five years in office. The members are voted in by the lawyers of the zones from which they are contesting.
Now what happens is that Everytime a District/High Court Bar election apporaches the first rigging that takes place is the clearance of the nominal dues of the lawyers by the candidates.
Now it isn't normally enough to secure the vote but it's indeed am attempt to buy the vote.
Now it isn't normally enough to secure the vote but it's indeed am attempt to buy the vote.
These dues are hardly in to the tune of a few hundred rupees or in other cases even a couple of thousands. So basically it's projected as a way of ensuring that more lawyers come to cast votes but in essence it is what it is i.e. trying to buy votes. And this is the smallest form
Cometh the Provincial Bar Council Elections wherein the dues of the Bar Council must in every case needs to be cleared alongside those of the respective bar association as well. In such case what happens is that candidates (some) open their bags of money...
... and start spending money on dues clearance which are in thousands for most of the lawyers. So these dues when are cleared the candidates have already spent lacs if not millions (one returned candidate spent 3.2millions on clearance this year from KP). And it works also.
So these candidates who go on massive spending spree ensure that they do all sorts of things to help win elections. And as I have been following bar politics very closely & passionately I this year observed that pre-poll rigging in shape of dues clearance and "gifts" isn't enough
You also have to ensure that your associates make the lawyers vote for you by coming all the way to the polling booth seeking a tick for their senior/candidate. People like me insults them others fall prey and vote. But this results in collapse of the system.
The victor is the one who does rigging before polls and during polls. As post election rigging is almost next to impossible in these elections. So this is how this whole system functions for these elections. Now cometh the elections of the Pakistan Bar Council.
As most returned candidates have spent massive amounts of money on their campaigning and some have gone the extra mile in spending loads of money on the earlier stated pre poll rigging they are now up for grabs for the next election to which they are the electoral college.
These members of provincial bar council vote for electing candidates into the PBC as stated earlier. So now a few big shots who have massive amounts of wealth come in the picture to contest elections as candidates for PBC. A candidate needs 6first choice votes.
Securing this figure is a Herculean task. Because party based seats won are normally not enough to sail you through. And personal choice candidates are a rarity as well. So those who have spent massively either contest the PBC elections themselves or try to get a value.
Because money spent needs to be returned also. And so this vicious cycle continues in full swing. And yeah these all excludes the dinners thrown at five star hotels and other functions held elsewhere. The small corner meetings and the associated expenses are fair game.
What I mean to say is that the system is rigged to the core. I know a lawyer who is contesting for the PBC and I can't name him, he deserves to win because he is a thorough professional but he lacks the money spending to buy votes and may be that costs it all God forbid.
The biggest rigging though is not the money spent or vote caste in lieu of the money. That's just not even an issue. The issue is that the actual reason why these lawyers are elected in the first place i.e. for law making is lost. It's lost in the way.
No rule making means no updated laws under which the Bars are to be regulated. The only rule that has come into play over the past five years is to increase the length of practice for candidates contesting election from initial 7to 10 and now to 15years.
The priority is to ensure that the young blood is kept at Bay from positions as the electoral college is boradly tilted towards the youth so it's quite easy to have them go to hell by bringing these insane requirements.
There has been no progress made on disciplinary issues, fake degrees issue the issues of toutism in courts. No substantial debates are taking place. All that is going on is to ensure that a member of bar association and bar council is there for you in case of police issue.
The purpose for which they are elected is lost the day they enter office and that's the actual rigging. My this thread isn't aimed at demeaning my profession but bringing to the for a harsh reality. Which needs to be tackled the sooner the better.
And unless professionalism reigns supreme there is no way forward for the black coats. We need to be the beacon of rule of law and transparency. And we must come together to ensure it is the only belief for us.
