09 January 2004	Friday	16 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Thursday refused to recognize the law degree of Iqra University due to lack of facilities at its Islamabad campus for the students.

A meeting of legal education committee of the PBC has, however, asked the law department of the university not to start legal education there, as the degree issued by the university will not be recognized for the purpose of enrolment as advocate.

"Any person, who gets admission in the university to acquire law degree, he will do so at his own risk," the meeting observed. The secretary of the Pakistan Bar Council, Mohammad Arshad, in a statement on Thursday, said the decision was taken after the PBC had received a letter from the head of law department of the university, requesting to grant law degree issuing status to the varsity.

The PBC official said the law department of the Iqra University, Islamabad campus, had also been informed about the decision. He said the law department had been asked to keep in view the position and status of the varsity being not recognized by the Pakistan Bar Council before the commencement of legal education at any of its campuses. The PBC asked the students to keep in mind that Iqra University's law degree had not been recognized by the council.