LAHORE, July 25: In order to set up a network of attorneys in all districts to defend government’s civil suits, the provincial law department has requested the Punjab Public Service Commission to immediately recruit 68 deputy district attorneys, officials said on Wednesday.

The need to create network has arisen in the aftermath of establishment of a separate prosecution service whose officers, all attorneys, only defend criminal cases of government. Previously, the attorneys used to defend both criminal and civil cases.

Officials said the DDAs would be recruited on a regular basis from amongst lawyers having at least BA, LLB degrees and seven-year practical experience.

The government had also recently recruited through the PPSC about 90 assistant district attorneys in BS-17.

The officials said many a district attorneys, DDAs and assistant district attorneys had opted to join the new prosecution service, leaving behind only a few officers to run the network needed to defend the civil suits.

At present there are only 17 district attorneys, 75 DDAs and 127 assistant district attorneys.

But, the vacant posts would be filled either through direct appointments or promotions.

They explained that the vacant posts of district attorneys would be filled through promotions of the existing DDAs. The vacant posts of the deputy district attorneys would also be filled through direct appointments or promotions of the assistant district attorneys.