Punjab Bar Council suspends licenses of 125 lawyers over fake degrees

Punjab Bar Council has suspended the licenses of 125 lawyers and initiated investigations against suspected 1,200 LLB degrees holders across Punjab. 

The action was taken after the Punjab Bar Council learnt that 1,200 law degrees issued by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai University Sindh were suspicious. 

Punjab Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Fakhar Hayat Awan has directed an investigation against the lawyers involved. He said that concerned lawyers have been served show-cause notices and directed to submit their original educational documents and LLB degrees along with supporting evidence to verify the authenticity of their qualifications. 

According to sources, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai University had sent a letter to the Punjab Bar Council declaring 1,200 LLB degrees suspicious, after which a detailed scrutiny of the records was carried out under the supervision of Punjab Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Advocate Fakhar Hayat Awan. During the scrutiny, 125 lawyers’ degrees were found to be suspicious or fake according to the Punjab Bar Council’s records, following which the Executive Committee immediately decided to suspend their law licenses. Scrutiny of the remaining suspicious degrees was underway. 

He made it clear that any lawyer who fails to prove the authenticity of their degree and educational credentials, or who fails to appear without a valid reason, will have their law license revoked in accordance with the law, while criminal cases will also be registered where necessary.

Fakhar Hayat Awan said that the Punjab Bar Council will make no compromise on the dignity, transparency, and rule of law of the sacred profession of advocacy. He said that there is no place in the legal profession for individuals holding fake degrees, and strict action will be taken against every responsible person in accordance with the law.

He further said that the Punjab Bar Council is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against fake degrees, forgery, and all forms of irregularities, and that every possible legal measure will continue to be taken to protect the dignity of the legal profession, public trust in the judicial system, and the rule of law. 

Reporter Malik Ashraf