The Pakistan Bar Council’s recent decision to impose a moratorium on new LLB admissions in several law institutions and colleges across the country, including the University of Sindh, has evoked a mixed reaction from stakeholders. The ban serves as a catalyst for these institutions to rectify their deficiencies and enhance their infrastructure, registration processes, and treatment of tutors, ensuring fair examination results and acceptable behaviour towards students, in accordance with the principles of natural justice. This ban is anticipated to yield better educational standards and a brighter future for law students, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the legal profession.
Conversely, the ban has disrupted the education of current students, potentially impacting their academic progress and future prospects, and may be deemed a breach of their legitimate expectations. Furthermore, the ban may have financial implications for the institutions, affecting their ability to provide education and employ requisite staff, and may also be considered a restraint on trade. Prospective students planning to enroll in these institutions are also left with limited options for pursuing a law degree, potentially delaying their academic and professional goals, and may be deemed to have suffered an injustice.
In light of these circumstances, it is imperative for the administration to take immediate action to address the issues prompting the ban and work towards lifting it, in order to mitigate the negative consequences and prevent the ban from becoming a double-edged sword. The administration must ensure that the institutions comply with the relevant laws, regulations, and standards, and provide a conducive learning environment for students.
As the saying goes, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” The institutions/colleges must use this ban as an opportunity to revamp their systems, improve their standards, and come out stronger on the other side.
Advocate Riaz Ali Panhwar
Hyderabad
