LHC issues notice on verification of degrees of judicial officers

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Wednesday issued a notice to Punjab and federal governments and sought their replies on the verification of the degrees of judicial officers working in different departments.

Justice Khan issued this order while hearing a case related to fake degrees of lawyers. “What is your stance if the court wants verification of the degrees of the judicial officers,” he questioned.

The Punjab University submitted its written reply summoned by the court. The bench summoned the vice chancellors and controllers of examinations of Multan, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur Universities.

The vice chairman of the Punjab Bar Council informed the court that the law degrees of the candidates of bar elections from 1999 till date have been sent to the Punjab University for verification. “The university officials are demanding charges for verification of degrees,” the counsel of the bar said.

However, the PBC vice chairman said the Supreme Court had directed that verification of degrees would be done without any charges. On it, the CJ asked him to move a contempt petition in the SC. The court adjourned the hearing for 10 days.

The high court in an earlier hearing of the case had directed an audit of law colleges and five-year BA degrees obtained from the Punjab University. A progress report was submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC) by the newly-elected members of the Punjab Bar Council regarding the lawyers’ degrees.