The Journalist Panel achieved a resounding victory in the National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad elections for the 2025-26 term, securing all executive and governing body seats, according to election results announced by Chairman Election Committee NPC, Asim Qadeer Rana.

As per a release issued on March 19, Azhar Jatoi was elected President with 1,099 votes, while Nayyer Ali secured the Secretary position with 1,063 votes. Waqas Abbasi won as Finance Secretary with 1,065 votes. For the Vice Presidents, Ehtisham Ul Haq led with 1,207 votes, followed by Syed Zafar Hussain Hashmi with 1,005, Shah Muhammad with 984, and Sehr Aslam Khan (female vice president) with 1,058 votes. The governing body elections saw a clean sweep by the Journalist Panel, winning all 15 male and two female seats.

The contest became largely one-sided after the National Journalist Panel withdrew in favor of the Journalist Panel. Competing panels included the Azad Panel, led by Shakeel Qarar, and the Bedar Panel, led by Dr Sadia Kamal.

To enhance transparency, the election committee implemented a voter verification system before polling and, for the first time in NPC election history, live-streamed vote counting on a large screen at the NPC premises.

Losing Secretary candidate Dr Furqan Rao thanked NPC members for participating despite Ramazan. Meanwhile, Nayyer Ali, the first female secretary of any press club in the country. She acknowledged Dr Sadia Kamal for contesting the presidential seat.

Photo: Nayyer Ali casts her vote during the National Press Club Islamabad elections for the 2025-26 term.  – Facebook