Eligibility debate: LBA to discuss opposition to Punjab Bar Council’s proposal

The PbBC wants extension of the experience required of lawyers seeking election.

LAHORE: The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) is likely to send a recommendation to the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) to reduce the requisite number of years of experience for lawyers to contest the Punjab Bar Council election.

The LBA has called a meeting of the general body at the Aiwan-i-Adl on March 24 (today) for a vote on the requisition filed by Advocate Sardar Zulifqar. He has requested that the PbBC be stopped from extending the 10-years-experience requirement to take part in the PbBC elections to 15 years. He says this will deprive many eligible lawyers of their right to contest elections.



The requisition, signed by 83 lawyers, says the incumbent members of PbBC had requested the amendment in the rule in a conspiracy against some lawyers who have the required 10 years of experience.

Zulfiqar said considering 10 years experience was considered enough for a lawyer to become a superior court judge, why was the PbBC demanding 15 years experience for its membership?

He said the 10-year timeframe rule was meant to ensure that only experienced lawyers became council members. But an extension to 15 years was a violation of law and spoke of malafide intent.

He alleged that certain groups in the PbBC wanted to establish a monopoly by amending the rule. Zulfiqar said the move could derail the PbBC. He said he had requested the LBA to record its protest against the move.

LBA president Chaudhary Ishtiaq told The Express Tribune that the requisition would be placed before the house on Monday. Members will present their opinions and recommendations before the LBA decides whether or not to forward it to the PbBC. He said the PbBC had sent its proposal to the Pakistan Bar Council who had sent it to the law secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2014.