# Punjab Bar Council

The Punjab Bar Council (Urdu: پنجاب بار کونسل) is a deliberative assembly of lawyers in Punjab, Pakistan.
It is established by the Parliament of Pakistan and consists of 75 members elected from different constituencies of Punjab, Pakistan. Its main functions are to promote and suggest law reforms, to safeguard the rights, interests and privileges of practicing lawyers while regulating their conduct, to recognize or derecognize Bar associations and to help in the administration of justice.

## Composition

The Punjab Bar Council consists of 75 Members of Punjab Bar Council elected by the advocates from different constituencies across the Punjab Province, These Members serve a term of five years and further elect Chairman Executive Committee and Vice-chairman of Council each Year. The Advocate General of the Punjab, acts as ex officio Chairman but being non-elected does not exercise the power as do the elected positions in the council. Power of Advocate General of Punjab is only limited to his role as returning officer of elections and in publishing the gazette.
The composition of the bar council for 2021–2025 term has been retained by the Independent Lawyers Group.

## Chairman Executive, Punjab Bar Council

The Chairman Executive Committee is practically the most powerful office of Bar Council and is elected by the members of the Council in each year. Chairman Executive Committee has full authority to decide matters of Bar Council in every aspect. under the Punjab Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules, 1974, the Chairman of Executive Committee exercise the powers (a) to implement the decisions of Bar Council (b) to advise the Bar Council in all matters relating to its functions (c) to supervise and deal with the all matters regarding administration of the Bar Council (d) to constitute sub-committee and to entrust such of its functions thereto as may be necessary (e) to institute and defend other proceedings on the behalf of Bar Council (f) to perform such functions as the Bar Council may entrust to it.

## Vice Chairman, Punjab Bar Council

Vice Chairman is figurehead of Bar Council and Elected by the members of the Council in January each year. VC plays the role of speaker and is traditionally considered as holding the foremost elected position in the bar council. Under the Punjab Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules 1974, Vice Chairman is ex officio Member of each Committee of Bar Council. Executive powers of the council are however rest with the Executive Committee.

## Secretary, Punjab Bar Council

Secretary is usually an officer of Grade 20 or 21. He is non-elected and full-time semi-government employee, responsible to perform duties enshrined under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, and the Punjab Legal Practitioners & Bar Council Rules, 1974 and to deal with the administrative affairs. secretary works under the supervisory control of the Executive Committee of Punjab Bar Council.

## List of Elected Leaders

| Year | Chairman Executive | Vice Chairman |
| 2009-10 | Rana Arif Kamal Noon | Asif Ali Malik |
| 2010-11 | Rana Muhammad Akram Khan | Mumtaz Mustafa |
| 2011-12 | Zafar Mehmood Mughal | Muhammad Lehrasib Khan Gondal |
| 2012-13 | Rana Muhammad Asif Saeed | Malik Ghulam Abbas Nissoana |
| 2013-14 | Tahir Nasrullah Warraich | Ahmer Hussain Cheema |
| 2014-15 Elections Could not take place | Executive of council dissolved | 2013-14 Vice Chairman (Continued) |
| 2015-16 | Chaudhry Abdus Salam | Miss Farah Ejaz Baig |
| 2016-17 | Mumtaz Mustafa | Muhammad Hussain |
| 2017-18 | Syed Azmat Bukhari | Inayat Awan |
| 2018-19 | Bushra Qamar | Jam M Younis |
| 2019-20 | Iftikhar Ibrahim Qureshi | Shahnawaz Ismail Gujjar |
| 2020-21 | Jamil Asghar Bhatti | Akram Khaksar |
| 2021-22 | Sardar Abdul Basit Khan Baloch | Amjad Iqbal Khan |
| 2022-23 | Malik Farooq Khokar | Jafar Tayyar Bukhari |
| 2023-24 | Tahir Shabbir Chaudhry | Basharat Ullah Khan |
| 2024-25 | Peer Imran Bodla | Kamran Bashir Mughal |
| 2025-26 | Farooq Dogar | Irfan Tarar |

## Member Judicial Commission of Pakistan

* Punjab Bar Council (through majority decision) sends one of its Member to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan for a period of 2 years, He gives his opinion and vote for the appointments of Lahore High Court Judges and for the appointment of the Chief Justice of High Court.