PROSPECTS FOR ONLINE LEGAL EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN
Syed Imad-ud-Din Asad *Abstract: The Higher Education Commission regulates the provision and modality of higher
education in Pakistan, with both public and private institutions increasingly imparting higher
education. The Pakistan Bar Council is the main regulator of legal education in Pakistan, andoften collaborates with the Higher Education Commission in certain areas to foster theprovision of higher education in law. The framework for legal education operates according tovarious legal provisions that are often criticised for failing to keep pace with modern trends.
These outdated legal provisions merely provide for physical classroom-based education.
Consequently, it is not currently feasible to shift LL.B. and LL.M. programs to either partiallyor completely online educative models. However, the collateral impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic, subsequent restrictions, and modern trends in legal education towards dynamic
online models, collectively provide an impetus for the Pakistan Bar Council to amend therelevant legal provisions to allow online legal education.
Keywords: Advocate, continuing legal education, COVID-19, Higher Education Commission,
online legal education, Pakistan Bar Council, pandemic, practical legal education.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Constitution of 1973 (‘1973 Constitution’) posits that the Islamic Republic ofPakistan (‘Pakistan’) is a Federal Republic. 1 The country comprises of four Provinces, being
Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, as well as a Federal Capital. 2
In 2010, the 18th Amendment to the 1973 Constitution redefined the legislative powersof the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. 3 As a result, the Parliament is now
empowered to make laws for the whole country or a part of it, whereas the Provincial Assemblyis empowered to make laws for the whole Province or a part of it. 4 Similarly, while theParliament has exclusive power to legislate regarding matters enumerated in the Federal
Legislative List; 5 the Provincial Assemblies have the exclusive power to legislate on matters
not enumerated in the Federal Legislative List. 6 The Supreme Court reiterates this: ‘The
Federal Legislature exercises its jurisdiction in respect of matters enumerated in the Federal
Legislative List (FLL). All other left-over matters and subjects are secured by the Provincial
Legislature in constitutional parlance referred to as residuary subjects.’ 7 The 1973 Constitution
provides that a Provincial Assembly may, through a resolution, ask the Parliament to enact a
law for that Province. 8

Syed Imad-ud-Din Asad is a lawyer and an academic based in Lahore, Pakistan. He has an LL.M. from
Harvard Law School and is pursuing a Dr.iur. at Friedrich Alexander University. He is the first elected associate
member from Pakistan of the International Academy of Comparative Law.
1
The Constitution of 1973, Article 1(1).
2Ibid Article 1(2).
3The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act (2010).
4
The Constitution of 1973, Articles 141 and 142.
5
Ibid Article 142(a).
6Ibid Article 142(c).
7Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF), Islamabad v Malik Ghulam Mustafa (2021)
SCMR 201.
8
Ibid Article 144(1).
*1The Federal Legislative List provided in the 1973 Constitution does not mention‘education’ or ‘higher education.’ 9 Therefore, only the Provincial Assemblies are competent tolegislate on matters concerning and relating to education. 10
2. HIGHER EDUCATION
2.1. OVERVIEW
There are over 220 public and private universities and degree awarding institutions(‘DAIs’) across Pakistan, collectively regulated by the Higher Education Commission (‘HEC’).
The funding arrangements for public institutions entail full government funding in contrast to
private institutions which generate funds directly through fees. As a result of their dependency
on ever-changing and uncertain government funding, public universities and DAIs are
incurring increasing losses each year. Critically, unless the government takes immediate
remedial measures, these public institutions are expected to be confronted by a severe financial
crisis. Between 2017 and 2021, the number of public universities and DAIs increased from 99
to 131 and the number of enrolled students increased from 1.76 million to 2.06 million. The
new 32 public institutions, established primarily for political reasons, were not provided withthe required funds to enable provision of adequate higher education, establish newprogrammes, and strengthen existing programs. The HEC’s development budget should be
increased to deal with these issues. It is expected that increasing this budget will also equip
public institutions with the resources and capabilities to develop a proper system for theprovision of online education. 11
There is presently no right to higher education in Pakistan. In comparison to standard
school education, it is more expensive to provide higher education, evinced through theextensive costs in setting up and maintaining laboratories, hiring staff, and retaining faculties. 12
In 2017-18, the HEC’s recurring budget was Rs 63.1 billion; in 2018-19, it was Rs 65.02
billion; in 2019-20, it was Rs 64.1 billion; and in 2020-21, it was again Rs 64.1 billion. Thiswas insufficient to meet the demands of the public institutions. 13 In response, the Government
allocated Rs.81 billion in 2021-22. 14 The HEC has a total funding of Rs108 billion for thefinancial year 2021-22. 15
The insufficiency of these funds is compounded by inflation which has had a negative
impact on the provision of higher education, with faculty and staff members at public
institutions demanding higher salaries. This has created a double-edged sword. Keeping staff
satisfied and preventing them leaving public institutions not only requires costly expenditure

The Constitution of 1973, Federal Legislative List.
The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act 2010; Azfar Laboratories Private Limited v Federation of
Pakistan through Secretary of Ministry of National Health Services (2018) PLD 448.
11
Dr. Laghari, ‘HEC in Dire Straits’ (30.05.2021) The News, https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/841797-hec-indire-straits.
12
F. Bari, ‘Quest for Quality Education’ (26.11.2021) DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1660345.
13
K. Abbasi, ‘Higher Education Sector Has Remained Under-Funded, Says Stakeholders’ (27.05.2021) DAWN,
https://www.dawn.com/news/1625845/higher-education-sector-has-remained-under-funded-say-stakeholders.
14‘Shafqat Terms Budget 2021-22 “Most Pro Higher Education Budget Ever”’ (12.06.2021) Pakistan Daily,
https://thepakistandaily.com/shafqat-terms-budget-2021-22-most-pro-higher-education-budget-ever/.
15
K. Abbasi, ‘HEC’s Proposed Funding Formula in Doldrums in Absence of Chairman’ (15.11.2021) DAWN,
https://www.dawn.com/news/1658124/hecs-proposed-funding-formula-in-doldrums-in-absence-of-chairman.
9

10

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to increase their salaries, but also entails re-allocating scarce resources away from education
towards staff satisfaction, thus undermining the quality of higher education. 16
2.2. REGULATIONThe HEC was established under the Higher Education Commission Ordinance (2002)(‘HECO’). 17 According to the Preamble of the HECO, the HEC is responsible for improving
and promoting higher education, research, and development in Pakistan. 18 The HECO further
defines a ‘university’ as: ‘A university established or incorporated under any law for the time
being in force.’ 19 A ‘degree awarding institution’ (‘DAI’) is defined as: ‘An institution
imparting higher education and awarding degrees of its own.’ 20 Both universities and DAI’s
impart higher education. An ‘institution’ is defined as: ‘Any university or other degree
awarding institution that offers higher education or is involved in the research and development
activities.’ 21 Thus, ‘institution’ refers to a university or DAI. 22 A DAI can have a maximum of
three departments or faculties while a university can have four or more departments or
faculties. 23
The HEC was established in 2002 prior to the 18th Amendment to the 1973 Constitution,
occurring in 2010. 24 After this Amendment, Punjab was the first Province to set up an educationcommission, called the Punjab Higher Education Commission (‘PHEC’). 25 Afterwards, theProvince of Sindh set up the Sindh Higher Education Commission (‘SHEC’). 26 Unlike thesetwo provinces, the Provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not yet establishedtheir own provincial higher education commissions. However, a Higher Education Regulatory
Authority has been established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to regulate private universities and
DAIs, not public universities, and DAIs. 27 Despite the changes arising from the 18th
Amendment to the 1973 Constitution, the HEC still formulates standards, guidelines, andpolicies for higher education in Pakistan. 28
2.3. ACCESS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

F. Bari, ‘Quest for Quality Education’ (26.11.2021) DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1660345.
The Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002, section 4.
18
Ibid preamble.
19
Ibid section 2(m).
20
Ibid section 2(e).
21Ibid section 2(h).
22Ibid section 2(h).
23Guidelines for the Establishment of a New University or an Institution of Higher Education, Higher Education
Commission, (2007), 7.
24
The Higher Education Commission Ordinance, 2002; and The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010.
25
The Punjab Higher Education Commission Act, 2014; The Punjab Higher Education Commission,
https://punjabhec.gov.pk/.
26
The Sindh Higher Education Commission Act, 2013; The Sindh Higher Education Commission,
https://sindhhec.gov.pk/.
27
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Registration and Functioning of Private Educational Institutions Ordinance, 2001;
The Higher Education Regulatory Authority, http://www.herakp.gov.pk/.
28
The Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002, section 10(1); M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan:
Problems & Prospects in the Context of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1) Islamabad Law Review 64, 74.
16
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The COVID-19 pandemic reached Karachi on 26 February 2020, 29 with cases recordedin all four provinces of the country by 18 March 2020. 30 Since then, being the fifth mostpopulous country the world, Pakistan has experienced three different waves of COVID-19.
Although the first wave subsided in July 2020, the country began to experience a second wave
in November 2020, followed by a third wave in March 2021. Pakistan experienced its first
lockdown from 1 April 2020 to 9 May 2020. 31 Like other countries, Pakistan enforced
lockdowns and ensured strict implementation of standard operating procedures.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced public and private institutions to wrap up in-personclasses, with the HEC directing higher education institutions to transition to online educative
methods through the provision of online classes. Consequently, institutions stopped on-campus
classes during March 2020. While private institutions possessed the resources to easilytransition to online classes, many public institutions lacked the requisite infrastructure andtechnical and financial resources to facilitate this transition. The asymmetries in educative
resourcing created accessibility issues to higher education, worsened for millions of Pakistani
students who were unable to access the fundamentals of connected life, including smartphones,
the Internet, and tablets to facilitate online learning. Therefore, the potential success of online
education in Pakistan was greatly undermined by the ‘dual-responsibility model,’ not only
requiring public institutions to expend scarce funds in transitioning to costly online education,
but making participation by students in online learning contingent on their own economic
capacity to afford and access the electronic devices and services required in online models. 32
Access to education before the pandemic presented a huge issue in Pakistan, with prepandemic statistics suggesting that of the over 70 million children, 22.8 million were out ofschool. Critically, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed these huge technological inequalities.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (‘PTA’), outside the major cities,
broadband is expensive, smartphone penetration stands at 51%, and only around million
school-age children have regular access to digital devices and bandwidth. It is expected that adetermined effort could almost eliminate this problem within two to three years. However, atpresent, an online system of education cannot be relied upon as the sole method for educationdelivery due to its fragility in blocking education opportunities for students unable to acquire
the requisite learning resources for participation in a digital learning environment. 33
According to the PTA, in 2012, broadband subscriptions were less than 2 million; in
2014, the figure drastically jumped to 16 million; and, in 2021, increased to 100 million.
According to the Inclusive Internet Index, commissioned by Facebook and conducted by the
Economist Intelligence Unit (‘EIU’), in 2021, Pakistan ranked 90th; in 2020, it ranked 89th; and,in 2019, ranked 77th out of 100 countries. According to the EIU, in 2021, Pakistan ranked in

N. Khan, ‘Pakistan Prepares to Fight Back as Two Coronavirus Cases Emerge in Country’ (15.03.2020) Arab
News, https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1633656/pakistan.
30‘Coronavirus Updates, March 18: Latest News on the Coronavirus Outbreak from Pakistan and Around theWorld’ (18.03.2020) GEO News, https://www.geo.tv/latest/277853-coronavirus-updates-march-18-latest-newson-the-coronavirus-outbreak-from-pakistan-and-around-the-world.
31
R. Shehzad, ‘Countrywide Lockdown Stretched Till May 9’ (24.04.2020) The Express Tribune,
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2206167/1-countrywide-lockdown-stretched-till-may-9.
32
Z.
Ranjah,‘Transforming
Legal
Education’(24.04.2020)
The
FridayTimes,
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/transforming-legal-education/.
33
M. Z. Malik, ‘The Coronavirus Effect on Pakistan’s Digital Divide’ (14.07.2020) BBC,https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200713-the-coronavirus-effect-on-pakistans-digital-divide.
29

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the bottom quartile of the index and second to last in Asia. The EIU also suggests the ‘Gender
Gap in Internet Access’ between men and women is 65% and 51% for mobile phone access. 34
However, the increasingly competitive internet service provider environment has
facilitated a decrease in mobile phone costs. Pakistan, previously ranked 67th in the world,recently recorded the highest score in the ‘Affordability’ category which examined the cost ofaccess relative to income and level of competition in the Internet marketplace. Nonetheless,Pakistan ranked 79th in the ‘Readiness’ category, examining the capacity to access the Internet,
including skills, cultural acceptance, and supporting policy; 91st in the ‘Relevance’ category,
examining the existence and extent of local language content and relevant content; and 97th inthe ‘Availability’ category, examining the quality and breadth of available infrastructure
required for access and levels of the Internet usage. Within the ‘Availability’ category, Pakistan
ranked 116th in the ‘Usage’ class, which measured the size of the connected population in termsof the Internet and mobile connectivity. Only 34% of households reported access to the Internet
and the fixed-line broadband subscription was 1/47 per 100 inhabitants. Pakistan reported low
internet quality, ranking 91st. Pakistan was also confronted by infrastructure issues, including
non-availability of public Wi-Fi, unlicensed spectrum policy, and frequent electricity
shortages, reported as one of the primary hindrances to connectivity to the Internet. 35
According to a 2021 Government survey, around 12% of households owned at least
one device, i.e., computer, laptop, or tablet, which highlighted both the limited access to, andequipment for, information and communication technologies in Pakistan. The Pakistan Socialand Living Standards Measurement Survey 2019-20 (‘PSLMS’), conducted by the Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics (‘PBS’), covered 176,790 households across rural and urban communities
and collected information on a range of social sector issues including information technology,
education, and health. The survey measured households with computers, laptops, tablets,
mobile phones, and the Internet for individuals who were 10 years and older. Concerningly,
the survey revealed that the percentage of ICT access was merely 19% in the urban areas andan even lower 7% in rural areas. The Province of Punjab ranked highest with 13% ofhouseholds having at least one device. The Province of Balochistan ranked lowest with only
6% of households having at least one device. Although 93% of households in Pakistan reported
having a mobile phone or smartphone, with 96% in the urban areas and 91% in the rural areas,
these are not facilitative of online legal education and stand testament to the issues intransitioning to an online learning environment. The Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ranked
highest with 95% of households having a mobile phone or smartphone, with the Province ofSindh ranked lowest with 91%. The Province of Punjab reported that 34% of households hadaccess to the Internet, the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 33%, the province ofSindh reported 32%, and the Province of Balochistan reported 21%. 36
3. LEGAL PROFESSION
3.1. OVERVIEW
The legal profession in Pakistan comprises of a single national bar council called the
Pakistan Bar Council (‘PBC’), four provincial bar councils, and a bar council for the federal
K. Ali, ‘Pakistan Drops to 90th Rank on Inclusive Internet Index’ (20.04.2021) DAWN,
https://www.dawn.com/news/1619250.
35
Ibid.
36
M. Z. Khan, ‘12pc Households in Pakistan Have At Least One Facility of Digital Devices’ (27.07.2021) DAWN,
https://www.dawn.com/news/1637075.
34

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capital. 37 The Punjab Bar Council is the largest provincial bar council in Pakistan, with morethan 100,000 registered Advocates. 38 The Lahore High Court Bar Association (‘LHCBA’)recorded 32,653 members in 2018, with the current figure yet to be published. 39 The Lahore
Bar Association ( ‘LBA’) has more than 25,000 members. 40 Both the LHCBA and the LBA
function under the jurisdiction of the PBC.
There are 40,709 advocates registered with the Sindh Bar Council. 41 The total numberof Advocates registered with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council is not provided on its
website. 42 However, a 2015 report indicated there were 6,498 Advocates licensed to practice
before the High Court, and 8,692 Advocates licensed to practice before the subordinate
courts. 43 The total number of Advocates registered with the Balochistan Bar Council is not
mentioned on its website. 44 The same 2015 report stated that there were 1,590 Advocateslicensed to practice before the High Court and 904 Advocates licensed to practice before thesubordinate courts. 45 This data suggests Advocates do not comprise a small professional group
and, given the high number, suggests it is not difficult to become an Advocate in Pakistan. 46
Pakistani lawyers have been closely allied with political parties and adopt a very activerole in national politics. Because of these strong political alliances, many lawyers have beensuccessful in obtaining prestigious appointments to the superior courts, winning elections to
offices in bar councils and bar associations and obtaining appointments in the Attorney
General’s office and the Advocate General’s office. Consequently, elections of bar councils
and bar associations have become fierce contests between various groups of lawyers, which
are supported by different political parties. Additionally, elections to bar councils and bar
associations are not only desired for the political power they provide, but to further enhanceand entrench the public perception of influence, thus causing a tremendous increase in clientele
for those elected.
As bar councils and bar associations have become platforms for personal careeradvancement, regulation of the legal profession has remained weak due to self-regulation. The
number of sub-standard lawyers is increasing. The legal profession primarily comprises family
law offices; children follow parents into legal practice and enjoy the benefits of inheritedoffices, libraries, staff, and clients. A considerable number of lawyers share office spaces anddivide expenses, but do not share profits. Thus, proper firms are rare. 47
3.1. REGULATIONThe Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973, section 3(1), .
Punjab Bar Council, https://pbbarcouncil.com/about-us/.
39
Lahore High Court Bar Association, https://lhcbar.com/bar-history/.
40
Lahore Bar Association, http://lahorebarassociation.org.pk/about.html.
41
Sindh Bar Council, https://sindhbarcouncil.org.
42
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, https://www.kpbarcouncil.com.
43
F. Hussain, The Judicial System of Pakistan, Intersentia, Federal Judicial Academy, (2015), 27.
44
Balochistan Bar Council, http://www.bbcq.org.pk/.
45
F. Hussain, The Judicial System of Pakistan, Intersentia, Federal Judicial Academy (2015), p 27.
46
M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: Problems & Prospects in the Context of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1)Islamabad Law Review 64, 80.
47
O. Siddique, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: The Domination of Practitioners and the “Critically Endangered”
Academic’ (2014) 63(3) Journal of Legal Education 505.
37
38

6

The PBC regulates the legal profession in Pakistan. In February 1973, the Legal
Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973 (‘LPBCA’) was promulgated. 48 The Preamble of the
LPBCA states its purpose as: ‘An Act to repeal and, with certain modifications, re-enact thelaw relating to legal practitioners and bar councils.’ 49 The LPBCA provides for the creation of
the PBC, the Provincial Bar Councils, and the Islamabad Bar Council. 50 The functions of theProvincial Bar Councils and Islamabad Bar Council include, among other things:
1. Admitting persons as Advocates and maintaining a roll of Advocates;
2. Admitting persons as Advocates entitled to practice before the respective High Courts
and maintaining a roll of such Advocates;
3. Deciding cases of misconduct against Advocates; and4. Suggesting law reforms. 51
Thus, the Provincial Bar Councils and the Islamabad Bar Council are responsible for
admitting persons as Advocates on their rolls. 52 The functions of PBC include, among otherthings:1. Preparing and maintaining a common roll of Advocates;
2. Admitting persons as Advocates entitled to practice before the Supreme Court andmaintaining a roll of such Advocates;
3. Prescribing standards of professional conduct for Advocates;
4. Suggesting law reforms;
5. Exercising general supervision and control over the Provincial Bar Councils and theIslamabad Bar Council;
6. Promoting legal education and prescribing standards for legal education in consultation
with universities, the Provincial Bar Councils, and the Islamabad Bar Council;
7. Recognising universities whose degrees are acceptable as qualification for enrolment
as Advocate; and8. Organising conferences, seminars, lectures, etc., for promoting legal knowledge andlearning in the legal profession. 53
The LPBCA further provides that the PBC is empowered to make rules regarding‘uniform conditions for being eligible to apply to a Bar Council for admission as an advocate.’ 54
While the Provincial Bar Councils and the Islamabad Bar Council are responsible for
admitting persons as Advocates, 55 the PBC, is also responsible for prescribing eligibility
criteria for admission as an Advocate; prescribing standards of professional conduct for
Advocates; prescribing standards for legal education; and recognising universities whose
degrees are acceptable as qualification for enrolment as Advocate. 56
4. LEGAL EDUCATIONThe Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973, preamble.
Ibid preamble.
50
Ibid section 3(1).
51Ibid section 9(1).
52Ibid section 9(1)(a).
53
Ibid section 13(1).
54Ibid section 55(la).
55
Ibid section 9(1)(a).
56
Ibid section 13(1).
48
49

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4.1. OVERVIEW
Some universities and DAIs offer local law programs and some institutes offer foreign
law programs. A total of 53 institutions currently offers local law programs. 57 In addition tooffering law programs, many institutions offer affiliation to private law colleges, requiring fee
payments, registration fees, and examination fees, necessary to prepare students for
examinations. Thus, these affiliating institutions make additional profits. Unfortunately,
statistics are not available nor compiled regarding the number of private affiliated law colleges;
the number of students enrolled in them; and the fee charged by them.
As for foreign law programs, some institutes offer the University of London’s external
LL.B. and LL.M. programs. 58 Unfortunately, detailed statistics are either not available or they
have not been compiled for external programs regarding the number of institutes offering them,
the number of students enrolled, the career paths pursued by alumni, and the fees charged by
the institutes offering the external programs.
Although Pakistan was once a part of British India, there are many differences between
Pakistani law and English law. The University of London’s external law programs do not teachPakistani law and do not prepare students for the Pakistani legal system. Further, the Universityof London’s external programs are far more costly than Pakistani programs, requiring muchhigher tuition fees. Consequently, only the wealthy can afford to pursue external programs,
serving as a status symbol of wealth. The high expenses affiliated with these external programshas meant that an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis pursue local law programs instead.
Whether local programs or foreign, most LL.B. holders or law graduates are not up to
the mark. Although the PBC and the HEC are criticised as having ignored their responsibilities,
it is important to recognise that universities and DAIs have not properly played their parteither. 59
The above-mentioned challenges are compounded by the following issues--- reiterating
that, overall, the system of legal education is in dire need of reform:
1.
2.
3.
4.

It is overly easy to be admitted to a law program;Modern teaching methodologies have not yet been introduced; 60
The curriculums for LL.B. program and LL.M. program require improvement;
Most universities and DAIs lack proper and sufficient human resources in terms offaculty and staff;
5. Most law faculties and law schools are poorly administered;

The Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules 2015, First Schedule and Second Schedule.
For instance, Universal College Lahore, https://www.ucl.edu.pk/; The Institute of Legal Studies,
https://tils.edu.pk/; Pakistan College of Law, https://pcl.edu.pk/; Blackstone School of Law and Business,
https://www.bsolpk.org/; Themis School of Law, https://themis.com.pk/; Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of
Science and Technology, https://www.szabist.edu.pk/.
59
R. Zahoor, ‘Clinical Legal Education and its Implication on Legal Education System in Pakistan: Challenges
and Prospects’ (2021) 3(1) CSRC 15; M. Imran, ‘Role of the Bar and Bench in the Development of Legal
Education’ (2019) 3(1) Islamabad Law Review 45; M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: Problems &Prospects in the Context of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1) Islamabad Law Review 64, 89; S. Shah, ‘Legal Educationin Pakistan: An Overview’ (2018) 26(2) IIUM Law Journal 402, 403-04; A. Sial, ‘Designing Legal Education to
Support Social Evolution in Pakistan’ (2009) 24(2) South Asian Studies 283, 293.
60
M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: Problems & Prospects in the Context of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1)Islamabad Law Review 64, 78, 86.
57
58

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6. There is a severe dearth of research, both in terms of quality and quantity; 61
7. There are no law journals considered reliable; 62
8. At law faculties and law schools, there are frequent tussles between different faculty
members, which is a big hindrance to improving the quality of legal education; 63 and9. Members of the PBC, who are responsible for regulating legal education, arepractitioners not academics, and are thus unaware of the requirements and dynamics
involved in setting up and managing modern legal education programs. 64
4.2. REGULATIONThe PBC is the main regulator of legal education. In certain matters, the PBC works incollaboration with the HEC. Regarding the role of the PBC, the LPBCA provides:
1. Promoting legal education and prescribing standards for legal education in consultation
with universities, the Provincial Bar Councils, and the Islamabad Bar Council;
2. Recognising universities whose degrees are acceptable as qualification forenrolment as Advocate; and3. Organising conferences, seminars, lectures, etc., for promoting legal
knowledge and learning in the legal profession. 65
Thus, Section 13(1)(j) of the LPBCA provides that the PBC is responsible forpromoting legal education as well as prescribing standards for legal education. 66 Further, the
LPBCA provides for the creation of the Legal Education Committee (‘LEC’), stating that: ‘The
Pakistan Bar Council may constitute from amongst its members… a legal education
Committee…. and may authorise any such Committee to co-opt as its members any otherpersons, not exceeding such number as the Council may determine.’ 67
Regarding those who can practice law in Pakistan, the LPBCA provides: ‘Save asotherwise provided in this Act, no person shall be entitled to practice the profession of law
unless he is an advocate.’ 68 Thus, a person cannot practice law unless that person is enrolled as
an Advocate. 69 Regarding those who can be enrolled as Advocates, the LPBCA provides:‘A person shall be qualified to be admitted as an advocate if he fulfils
the following conditions, namely:(a) He is a citizen of Pakistan or a person deriving his nationality fromthe State of Jammu and Kashmir:….
R. Zahoor, ‘Clinical Legal Education and its Implication on Legal Education System in Pakistan: Challenges
and Prospects’ (2021) 3(1) CSRC 16, 18; M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: Problems & Prospects in theContext of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1) Islamabad Law Review 64, 70-71, 80.
62
M. Sarmad, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: Problems & Prospects in the Context of 21st Century’ (2019) 3(1)Islamabad Law Review, 64, 70-71.
63
R. Zahoor, ‘Clinical Legal Education and its Implication on Legal Education System in Pakistan: Challenges
and Prospects’ (2021) 3(1) CSRC 18.
64
S. Shah, ‘Legal Education in Pakistan: An Overview’ (2018) 26(2) IIUM Law Journal 402, 427, 431.
65
Section 13(1).
66Section 13(1)(j).
67
Section 15(2).
68Section 22(1).
69Section 22(1).
619

(c) He is a Barrister… or has obtained:(i) Before the 7th day of February 1966, a degree in law from any
university in Pakistan; or….
(iii) A bachelor’s degree in law from a university or institute recognisedby the Higher Education Commission and the Pakistan Bar Council;and….
(d) He has undergone such course of training and passed suchexamination after the training as may be prescribed by the Pakistan Bar
council.’ 70
Therefore, a bachelor’s degree in law, from a university recognized by the PBC and theHEC, is one of the requirements. 71 Under the LPBCA, the PBC can make rules regarding
standards of legal education to be observed by Pakistani universities as well as inspection of
Pakistani universities to ensure the standards are being observed. 72 The LPBCA provides:
The Pakistan Bar Council may… make rules to provide for:….
(f) The constitution and functions of any Committee of the Pakistan Bar
Council and the term of office of the members of any such Committee;….
(la) Uniform conditions for being eligible to apply to a Bar Council foradmission as an advocate;(lb) The course of practical training in law and the examination to bepassed after such training for admission as an advocate;….
(q) The standards of legal education to be observed by universities inPakistan and the inspection of universities for that purpose; 73
In May 1976, the PBC notified the Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules,
1976 (‘PLPBCR’). 74 The PLPBCR also provides for the creation of the LEC. 75 In December
2015, the PBC notified the Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 2015 (‘PBCLER’).76
The notification provided: ‘And whereas the existing three sets of Rules on the subject of legal
education i.e. the “Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 1978”, the “Affiliation of Law
Colleges Rules” and the “Pakistan Bar Council (Recognition of Universities) Rules, 2005” areto be reviewed and consolidated in one set of uniformed Rules.’ 77 The notification further
provided: ‘And whereas the constant deterioration of standard and quality of legal education
because of mushroom growth of law colleges and even the Universities, in private sector,
necessitates strict check and control over the Universities and degree awarding Institutions,
imparting legal education, and the private law colleges.’ 78
Section 26.
Section 26(c)(iii).
72
Section 55(q).
73Section 55.
74
Pakistan Bar Council, S.R.O. 476(I)/76, (21.05.1976).
75
The Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules 1976, rule 86(a)(4).
76
S.R.O. 1265(1)/2015, (19.12.2015).
77
S.R.O. 1265(1)/2015, (19.12.2015).
78
S.R.O. 1265(1)/2015, (19.12. 2015).
70
71

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In this notification, the PBC admits the quality of legal education in Pakistan has
consistently deteriorated. This admission speaks volumes about the PBC’s performance,
strengthening criticism levelled towards the PBC that it constantly fails to perform its
responsibilities in the legal education domain. Had the PBC performed its responsibilities, thestate of legal education in Pakistan would have remained satisfactory. In fact, the very bad stateof both legal education in Pakistan and the legal profession has been pointed out several
times. 79 The situation has even been criticised by the Supreme Court of Pakistan (‘Supreme
Court’) in many of its judgements. 80
Further, Rule 3(vi) of the PBCLER provides: ‘“Recognised degree” means and includes
a bachelor’s degree in law awarded by a university, or a Degree Awarding Institution
recognised by the Pakistan Bar Council.’ 81 The PBCLER has restricted the number of LL.B.
students in reference to the physical infrastructure and facilities available at the main campus
of a university in the following words:(i) A Section of a Class in a Faculty of Law/Law Department/Law
College shall [exceed] more than 50 students.
(ii) The total number of students admitted in 1st year LL.B. in any caseshall not [exceed] 100.
However, in special circumstances, the Committee in [the] case of [the]main campus of a university, may allow admission of students to 1styear LL.B. not exceeding 150 keeping in view infrastructure andfacilities available in [the] main campus of the concerned University. 82
Regarding the syllabus for the LL.B. program, the PBCLER provides: ‘The syllabus
for [the] LL.B. programme shall include the subjects prescribed and duly approved by the
Pakistan Bar Council and Higher Education Commission and as modified by them from time
to time.’ 83 Further, Rule 7 of the PBCLER provides that the curriculum for the LL.B. program

S.
Asad,
‘Current
Trendsin
Legal
Education’(20.12.2009)
DAWN,
https://www.dawn.com/news/509810/current-trends-in-legal-education; A. Cowasjee, ‘Looking to the Future’(27.06.2010) DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/543717/looking-to-the-future; Z. Ranjah, ‘Legal Education’(02.10.2015) DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1210297; Z. Ranjah, ‘Legal Education’ (05.03.2018)
DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1393268; Z. Khan, ‘Improving Legal Education In Pakistan with Online
Platforms’ (22.11.2019) Courting the Law, https://courtingthelaw.com/2019/11/22/commentary/improving-legaleducation-in-pakistan-with-online-platforms/; Z. Ranjah, ‘Transforming Legal Education’ (24.04.2020) The
Friday Times, https://www.thefridaytimes.com/transforming-legal-education/; ‘Lawyers Should Evolve withTechnology’ (27.09.2020) The Express Tribune, http://tribune.com.pk/story/2261422/lawyers-should-evolvewith-technology; R. Zahoor, ‘Clinical Legal Education and its Implication on Legal Education System in Pakistan:
Challenges
andProspects’(2021)
3(1)CSRC,
https://publishing.globalcsrc.org/ojs/index.php/relate/article/view/1757/1166; A. Wahid, ‘Seniority is Toxic’(16.12.2021) DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1664102; S. Arif, ‘Changing Characteristics of Legal
Education in Pakistan: Prospects and Challenges’ (December 2019) 3(2) Pakistan Social Sciences Review 868.
80
Pakistan Bar Council v Federal Government (2007) PLD 394; Pakistan Bar Council through Chairman Legal
Education Committee, PBC, Islamabad v Federal Government through Establishment Division (2013) SCMR
1651; Pakistan Bar Council v Federal Government through Establishment Division, (2018) SCMR 1891; Pakistan
Bar Council v Federal Government through Establishment Division (2019) SCMR 389.
81
The Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules 2015, Rule 3(vi).
82
Ibid rule 5.
83
Ibid rule 7.
79

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must be approved by the PBC and the HEC, 84 thus placing it within the overlapping scope ofmatters in which both the PBC and the HEC may collaborate. 85
The PBCLER provides for morning LL.B. classes but prohibits afternoon and eveningclasses. 86 Rule 13 of the PBCLER provides that LL.M. programs must also be approved by
the PBC. 87 Like the LL.B. program, the curriculum for the LL.M. program is also prescribedby the PBC and the HEC. 88 Rule 13(iv) of the PBCLER provides that the LL.M. program canonly be conducted at the main campus of a university. 89 Rule 17(i) of the PBCLER regulates
the recognition of universities by the PBC, providing that a university cannot commence law
programs and admit students without its prior recognition by the PBC. 90 Rule 17(ii) of the
PBCLER provides that if a university applies for recognition by the PBC after commencing
law programs and admitting students, a monetary penalty will be imposed on it. 91
Rule 19(i) of the PBCLER provides that a university can only conduct the LL.B. classes
on its main campus. 92 Further, in relation to a university application for the recognition of its
LL.B. program by the PBC, the PBCLER provides:
The applicant University/Degree Awarding Institution shall have tosubmit an undertaking… to the effect that it shall:(i) Not affiliate any private law college at any place, nor itself conduct
law classes anywhere else except of its main campus;(ii) Not admit more than 100 law students in an academic year;(iii) Abide by and adhere to the minimum standards as laid down inthese Rules and instructions/directions issued by the Pakistan Bar
Council from time to time in respect of legal education, the violation ofwhich will render the University/Institution to be de-recognised;(iv) Ensure imparting of quality education strictly in accordance withthe syllabus prescribed by the Pakistan Bar Council and the Higher
Education Commission; and(v) Ensure conducting and adhering only to 5 years composite
programme of LL.B. as per standards and criteria prescribed by the
Pakistan Bar Council and Higher Education Commission.93
Regarding infrastructure and facilities, Rule 25 of the PBCLER prescribes theminimum number of classrooms and other facilities for conducting law programs. 94 The
PBCLER provide:
A College shall:
Ibid.
The latest curriculum for the LL.B. program was approved in 2015. Curriculum for LLB (5 Years), Higher
Education Commission, 2015.
86
Rule 10.
87
Rule 13.
88
The latest curriculum for the LL.M. program was approved in 2006. Curriculum of LL.M., Higher Education
Commission, 2006.
89
Rule 13(iv).
90
Rule 17(i).
91Rule 17(ii).
92
Rule 19(i).
93Rule 19.
94
Rule 25.
84
85

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(i) Be located in a spacious, separate, and independent building withcovered area of minimum 12000 sq. ft without any other institution or
person sharing the premises;(ii) Have at least ten classrooms, a common room, a ladies room,
Committee Room, Meeting Hall, and a separate staff room;(iii) Have adequate canteen/cafeteria, toilets and first aid facilities;(iv) Develop/install its website also displaying status of students andtheir attendance on regular basis with intimation, through e-mail, toconcerned University/ Institution and the Council.95
A university which intends to impart legal education must apply to the PBC for its
recognition under Rule 16(i) of the PBCLER. The application form prescribed by the PBCLER(‘Application Form’) is appended to the PBCLER under Schedule Three. 96 The Application
Form requires a university to declare that it will impart legal education only at its main campus,
not anywhere else. 97 Paragraph 3 of the Application Form provides that:
The aforementioned University/Institution do hereby declare that it:(i) Is authorised and competent to impart legal education and award[an] LL.B. degree;….
(iii) Shall introduce the syllabus of 5 years LL.B. courses which will
essentially include the syllabus/courses prescribed by the Pakistan Bar
Council and the Higher Education Commission and comply with theirdecisions/instructions regarding changes/amendments therein brought
about by them from time to time;(iv) Shall restrict imparting of legal education to its Law
Faculty/Department at its main campus only and will not impart sucheducation anywhere else nor will affiliate any law college;….
(viii) Shall impart legal education only in morning classes. 98
In relation to foreign law programs in Pakistan, Rule 36 of the PBCLER provides thatno institution shall offer the programs of any foreign university without first obtaining a noobjection certificate from the PBC. 99 This requirement also applies to the external law
programs of the University of London. Rule 40 of the PBCLER provides the PBC can requestthat the Provincial Bar Councils and Islamabad Bar Councils refrain from issuing practicing
licences to the students and alumni of an institute offering a foreign law program if it fails tocomply with the PBCLER requirements. 100 Thus, the PBC has extended its domain andregulatory scope to foreign law programs offered in Pakistan.
4.3. SUPREME COURT AND LEGAL EDUCATION

Rule 25.
Rule 16(i).
97Application for Recognition of a University or Degree Awarding Institution Imparting Legal Education, Third
Schedule, The Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 2015.
98
Application for Recognition of a University or Degree Awarding Institution Imparting Legal Education, Third
Schedule, The Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 2015.
99
Rule 36.
100
Rule 40.
95
96

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In Pakistan Bar Council v. The Federal Government and Others (‘2007 Judgment’) the
Supreme Court considered the matter of declining standards of legal education in the context
of growing number of private affiliated law colleges. The Supreme Court severely criticizedprivate affiliated law colleges for focusing on making money at the expense of quality legal
education. The Supreme Court observed: ‘Colleges mostly have become business centers andin the name of legal education, it is a profit-making industry that they are running.’ The
Supreme Court further observed: ‘It is these centers which produce law graduates, who arecalled to the Bar, some practice, some join judiciary at the district level, some adorn theconstitutional Courts, and some become law makers.’ In short, the Supreme Court blamed
private affiliated law colleges for the very bad state of the legal system, in general, and thelegal profession. Interestingly, the Supreme Court did not discuss if lawyers and the PBC also
contributed to this sorry situation. The Supreme Court directed all law schools and colleges tocomply with the rules framed by the PBC to ensure uniform quality of legal education. 101
However, the 2007 Judgment was not implemented and, in 2010, this came to the noticeof the Supreme Court. The implementation proceedings were immediately initiated, which
proceeded slowly. Ultimately, in 2019, the Supreme Court reiterated that ‘there has been amajor decline in the standard of legal education owing to various reasons.’ The Supreme Court
kept its focus on private affiliated law colleges only. The Supreme Court directed some private
affiliated law colleges to be shut down; directed some to be disaffiliated; and allowed some tofulfil the prescribed requirements and standards within a period of six months. In the same 2019
Judgment, the Supreme Court gave directions regarding legal education, prescribing that: 102
1. A Law Graduate Assessment Test (‘Law-GAT’) of law graduates seeking enrolment as
Advocates to be conducted, on quarterly basis, by the HEC;
2. A law admission test (‘LAT’) of individuals seeking admission to the LL.B. program
to be conducted, biannually, by the HEC;
3. Eligibility criteria for full-time and visiting faculty members;
4. Minimum number of full-time and visiting faculty members; and5. A ban on conducting LL.B. classes in the evening.
While prescribing eligibility criteria for the position of dean, the Supreme Court held: 103
The Dean Law Faculty/Head of Law Department/Principal of law
college shall be Ph.D. in law with 8 years law teachingexperience/practice experience in High Court or Master’s Degree in
Law with 15 years law teaching experience/practice experience in High
Court or a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court or aretired District and Sessions Judge having 5 years of judicial service tohis credit.
According to the Supreme Court, being a retired judge of a High Court or the Supreme
Court, or being a retired District and Sessions Judge, having five years of judicial service, issufficient to be appointed to the position of dean. In the case of retired judges, no doctoral
degree, teaching experience, or research is required. However, this academic criteria for former
judges have been perceived as a judicial attempt by the Supreme Court to create employment
opportunities for retired judges.
Pakistan Bar Council v The Federal Government and Others (2007) PLD Supreme Court 394.
Pakistan Bar Council v The Federal Government and Others (2019) SCMR 389.
103
Ibid.
101
102

14

The 2007 and 2019 Judgements, the Supreme Court’s reasoning lacks both width anddepth. The Supreme Court failed to notice trends in legal education in developed countries
including the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. Additionally, the Supreme
Court failed to notice the role of the bar councils and bar associations in these countries inregulating legal education. The Supreme Court’s neglected questions of inquiry include:
whether bar councils and bar associations in these countries exercise the same powers andfunctions regarding legal education as does the PBC; whether these countries have regulators
like the HEC; and how much freedom is afforded to universities, in these countries, regarding
designing and conducting legal education. Thus, the Supreme Court took up the issue of legal
education but failed to address it properly.
In April 2022, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief
Justice, reiterated the above-mentioned concerns while hearing a petition regarding substandard lawyers contesting in the elections of bar councils and bar associations. The Supreme
Court ‘ordered the constitution of an independent committee to make suggestions for regulating
and improving the quality of legal education in the country and directed the law ministry to aid
in the formation of the body.’ 104 Overall, and unfortunately, the Supreme Court maintained its
previous approach towards addressing the issue of legal education.
5. ONLINE, PRACTICAL AND CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
5.1. ONLINE LEGAL EDUCATION
To ascertain the prospects of online legal education in Pakistan, the following must be
considered:
1. Rule 5(ii) of the PBCLER refers to the infrastructure and the facilities available at themain campus of a university. 105
2. Rule 10(i) of the PBCLER provides that LL.B. classes can only be conducted in themorning. 106
3. Rule 13(iv) of the PBCLER provides that the LL.M. program can only be conducted at
the main campus of a university. 107
4. Rule 19(i) of the PBCLER provides that a university can only conduct the LL.B. classes
on its main campus. 108
5. Rule 25 of the PBCLER prescribes the minimum number of classrooms and otherfacilities for conducting law programs. 109
6. The Application Form prescribed by the PBCLER requires a university to declare that
it will impart legal education only at its main campus and not anywhere else. 110
As highlighted by these provisions, the PBCLER fails to accommodate for the
possibility of conducting LL.B. and LL.M. programs online, as the PBCLER provides strictly
N. Iqbal, ‘SC Calls For Body to Improve Quality of Law Education’ (28.04.2022) Dawn,
https://www.dawn.com/news/1687202.
105
Rule 5(ii).
106
Rule 10(i).
107Rule 13(iv).
108
Rule 19(i).
109Rule 25.
110
Application for Recognition of a University or Degree Awarding Institution Imparting Legal Education, Third
Schedule, The Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 2015.
10415

for physical classrooms only. This inflexibility and hesitancy to adopt online learning methods
created an ‘educative nightmare’ during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. When higher
education institutions stopped on-campus classes, some law schools tried to conduct online
courses. However, these were not very effective. 111 Unfortunately, the PBC remained silent
regarding online legal education, forcing legal education to an almost standstill.
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for the PBC to review its
priorities and create mechanisms for the provision of modern learning technologies andplatforms. The PBC should survey developed countries to assess how legal education copedwith the crisis. There are many examples of innovation in legal education in certain developed
countries. Law schools across the world are rapidly transitioning towards online learning
programs due to the numerous advantages such as reduced costs, flexibility, and customisationof learning modules. Law schools in Pakistan should therefore be allowed to harness thisopportunity to undertake legal education with the integration of technology. This opportunity
is not only a necessity in a modern digital environment but could be offered beneficially as aselling point to attract increased enrolments. 112
The PBC must acknowledge and realise the present-day needs of our technologicalsociety and update the existing provisions regarding legal education to cater to the demands ofthe time. The HEC should provide technical support to the PBC as well as universities to foster
the provision of efficient online legal education.
5.2. PRACTICAL LEGAL EDUCATION
Practical legal education is another domain which requires significant improvement andmodern transformation in Pakistan. The latest curriculum permits the LL.B. program to be
spread over 5 years and 10 semesters. 113 The curriculum provides that each LL.B. candidate
must pursue an internship, which is seldom paid, after the conclusion of the 8th semester andbefore the commencement of the ninth semester. The internship must be spread over a periodof 10 to 12 weeks, with students awarded three credits upon completion of the internship. It ispertinent to mention the PBCLER do not currently provide for practical, experiential, or clinicallegal education. Consequently, the scope of the internships only encompasses legal research,
maintenance of office files, and performance of small tasks. 114 Once the internship ends, thesupervising lawyer provides a certificate of internship to enable the university or DAI to award
the student with prescribed credit points. Problematically, however, most law students
approach various lawyers through a network of family and friends and obtain the certificatesof internship without doing any actual work. By contrast, in the U.S.A., the summer internships
pursued by J.D. candidates are much more meaningful, coupled with plentiful clinical andexperiential learning opportunities.
The American Bar Association and the state bars facilitate practical legal education.
These issues in Pakistani legal education could be rectified by the PBC through necessarychanges to the PBCLER to introduce and promote practical legal education in a meaningfulZ.
Ranjah,‘Transforming
Legal
Education’(24.04.2020)
The
FridayTimes,
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/transforming-legal-education/.
112
Ibid.
113
As mentioned above, the latest curriculum for the LL.B. program was approved in 2015. Curriculum for LLB(5 Years), Higher Education Commission, 2015.
114
Curriculum for LLB (5 Years), Higher Education Commission, 2015.
111

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way. For instance, the PBC could adopt the system of practical legal education prevalent in the
U.S.A and modify existing frameworks keeping in view the ground realities.
5.3. CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
Continuing legal education (‘CLE’) is not mentioned or provided for in any regulatory
framework including the LPBCA, PLPBCR, and PBCLER. Contrarily, CLE is mandatory in
the U.S.A, with every lawyer required to undergo a certain number of CLE hours. Similarly,
in the United Kingdom, the four Inns of Court require practicing Barristers to undergo
continuous training. The Law Society of England conducts such training for practicing
Solicitors to fulfil these requirements. In Pakistan, the importance of CLE cannot beemphasised enough. As mentioned above, the country has an overall poor system of legal
education. The implementation of mandatory CLE would likely compel lawyers to overcome
the deficiencies caused by the sub-standard LL.B. programs and LL.M. programs. Thus, CLEshould serve as a catalyst to improve the legal profession in Pakistan. 115
In addition, CLE could be offered online. For many lawyers, it is easier to attend online
CLE courses from the comfort of their homes and offices instead of attending physical classes.
Online CLE courses are already being offered in many developed countries, albeit typicallywith fewer internet connectivity and other infrastructural challenges than those outlined above
for Pakistan generally.
6. CONCLUSION
The system of legal education in Pakistan is in dire need of reform. This reform canonly occur if the PBC and lawyers alike: (1) acknowledge that reforms are needed; (2) are open
to learning from the positive experiences of other countries; and (3) make a sincere anddetermined effort to introduce and implement the reforms. These amendments will not only
improve the state of legal education and the legal profession but will also open the doors foronline legal education, practical legal education, and continuing legal education.
The PBC is the most important player when it comes to legal education. Over the years,
the PBC has assumed this significant position by giving itself numerous powers achieved byamending the legal education rules. However, assumption of power is one thing; the capabilityof wielding it is another. Members of the PBC, who are practitioners, are unaware of therequirements and dynamics of legal academia. Being an influential lawyer does not mean that
one is well acquainted with modern trends in legal education. Similarly, being a retired judgeof a High Court or Supreme Court, or being a retired District and Sessions Judge, having five
years of judicial service, does not mean one is competent or equipped to lead a law faculty.
Teaching on a part-time basis or visiting basis does not bring a lawyer or judge at par with legal
academics who have devoted themselves to legal academia, extensively designed courses andprograms, taught, conducted researched, and published work, and are abreast of thedevelopments in legal education across the globe.
The PBC should restrict itself to regulating the legal profession, as it is ill-suited toregulate legal education. The regulation of legal education must be transferred to the hands oflegal academics and the HEC.

115

Z. Ranjah, ‘Legal Education’ (02.10.2015) DAWN, http://www.dawn.com/news/1210297.

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