In a significant step towards strengthening professional capacity within Pakistan's justice sector, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan today launched the E-Course for Law Professionals – 2026 at a ceremony held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The E-Course has been developed by the Federal Judicial Academy in collaboration with Directorate of Legal Education of the Pakistan Bar Council.
The initiative forms part of the broader reform agenda to improve the quality, accessibility, and responsiveness of the justice system through institutional strengthening, technological innovation, and enhanced collaboration between the Bench and the Bar. The E-Course is designed to bridge the longstanding gap between academic legal education and the applied legal skills, particularly for new entrants to the profession.
The launch fulfills a commitment made by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan during a consultative meeting with representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and Provincial Bar Councils on February 3, 2026, where the need for accessible and practice-oriented legal training was identified as a priority area for reform.
Besides Hon’ble Mr. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Adviser to the Board of Governors, and Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Director General, Federal Judicial Academy, the ceremony was attended by representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and Provincial Bar Councils, including Mr. Muhammad Masood Chishti, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council; Malik Fakhar Hayat, Chairman, Executive Committee, Punjab Bar Council; Mr. Khawaja Qaiser Butt, Vice Chairman, Punjab Bar Council; Mr. Ishtiaq A. Memon, Vice Chairman, Sindh Bar Council; Mr. Asfand Yar Khan, Vice Chairman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council; Mr. Jadain Dashti, Vice Chairman, Balochistan Bar Council; Mr. Muhammad Zafar Khokhar, Chairman Executive Committee; Mr. Chaudhary Asif Irfan, Vice Chairman, Islamabad Bar Council; Mr. Ahmed Farooq Khattak, Member, Pakistan Bar Council; Advocate Ayaz Hussain Tunio, Chairman, Executive Committee, Sindh Bar Council (through video link); and Barrister Usama Malik, Director, Legal Education, Pakistan Bar Council.
During the briefing, it was highlighted that the programme has specifically been developed to enhance applied legal skills through a structured and technology-enabled learning platform. The E-Course comprises ten modules spread over forty credit hours and is being offered in a fully online, self-paced format, enabling law professionals from across Pakistan to access quality professional training regardless of geographical location. It was also informed that the programme has been recognized as equivalent to one week of the mandatory Bar Vocational Course (BVC) requirement for apprentices.
Representatives of the Bar Councils welcomed the initiative and described it as a timely response to the evolving needs of the legal profession. They emphasized the importance of sustained investment in professional development and capacity building for young lawyers and proposed that the E-Course be recognized as a complete substitute for the existing two-week Bar Vocational Course requirement.
Addressing the ceremony, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan underscored the importance of equipping young lawyers with the practical knowledge, professional skills, and ethical foundations necessary to serve the justice system effectively. He observed that technology-enabled learning platforms have the potential to democratize access to legal education and professional training, ensuring that opportunities for learning and growth are available to aspiring legal practitioners across the country. The Hon’ble Chief Justice encouraged representatives of the Bar Councils to formally submit their proposals about content and methodology to the Directorate of Legal Education for detailed examination and consideration through the appropriate institutional forums.
The launch of the E-Course represents another milestone in the ongoing efforts of the judiciary to foster a culture of continuous learning, professional excellence, and institutional innovation. It reflects the shared commitment of the Bench and the Bar to strengthening legal education, enhancing professional competence, and building a more accessible, efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric justice system for Pakistan.
