As part of ongoing stakeholder engagement, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan held an interactive, consultative meeting with the Vice Chairmen and Chairmen of the Executive Committees of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Provincial Bar Councils at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Muhammad Masood Chishti, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council; Khawaja Qaiser Butt, Vice Chairman, and Mr. Fakhar Hayat Awan, Chairman, Executive Committee, Punjab Bar Council; Mr. Asfand Yar Khan, Vice Chairman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council; Mr. Ayaz Hussain Tunio, Chairman, Executive Committee, Sindh Bar Council; Mr. Nadir, Chairman, Executive Committee, Balochistan Bar Council; Mr. Waseem Sadiq, Chairman, Executive Committee, AJ&K Bar Council; Mr. Asif Irfan, Vice Chairman, Islamabad Bar Council; Mr. Ahmed Farooq Khattak, Member, Pakistan Bar Council; Mr. Najeeb Kakar, Chairman, Balochistan Bar Council Inter-Province Committee; and Mr. Aqib Ahmed Hashmi, Member, AJ&K Bar Council. The Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, and the Director General, Federal Judicial Academy, were also present, while the Additional Resident Secretaries of the Commission joined the meeting through video link.
The representatives of the Bar Councils appreciated the convening of the consultative engagement and acknowledged the reform measures being undertaken in the justice sector. They emphasized the need for enhanced capacity-building opportunities for young lawyers and discussed matters related to the verification of academic degrees by the Higher Education Commission, the structured, periodic rotation of judges, and conflicting judgments on similar legal questions.
In response, the Hon’ble Chief Justice briefed the participants on the Continuing Legal Education programs conducted by the Federal Judicial Academy and informed them that the training calendar is available on the Academy's digital platform. His Lordship further informed the participants that a dedicated online course has been designed and shared with the Bar Councils to facilitate wider participation of young lawyers, and encouraged them to make effective use of the initiative. It was also stated that physical training programs for young lawyers would continue, including a specialized training program for lawyers from Sindh Province, scheduled to be held at the Federal Judicial Academy in July 2026.
The Hon’ble Chief Justice also requested the Bar representatives to share instances of conflicting judgments with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan for appropriate consideration, while observing that other institutional and administrative matters would be addressed at the relevant forums.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared institutional commitment of the Bench and the Bar to advancing access to justice, legal empowerment, and a responsive, independent, and inclusive justice system in Pakistan.
