LAHORE: The Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) has issued notices to 1,200 lawyers whose academic degrees could not be verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), directing them to complete verification by May 15 or face suspension of their legal practicing licences.

The HEC has yet to verify degrees of lawyers obtained from several universities including Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai University, University of Sindh, University of Karachi, Gomal University, Mirpur University of Science and Technology and Mohiuddin Islamic University.

All relevant lawyers have been given a final deadline of May 15 to get their degrees verified by the HEC and submit the attested documents to the bar council, said a joint statement issued by PbBC Vice Chairman Khawaja Qaiser Butt and Executive Committee Chairman Fakhar Hayat Awan.

The statement warned that failure to comply within the stipulated time would result in immediate suspension of licences of those holding unverified degrees, along with further legal action. The bar council also announced a stricter policy for future enrolments, stating that no lawyer would be admitted without a degree verified by the HEC.

Additionally, it said, individuals posing as lawyers, holders of fake degrees and those practicing law while employed in government or semi-government institutions have been granted a last opportunity to regularise their status.

After the deadline, the council said, no leniency or concessions would be extended and strict legal proceedings would follow.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026