LAHORE, Dec 18: In defiance of amendments made to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act of 1973, the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) has declared “illegal” the cancellation of its Vice-Chairman Tariq Javed Warraich’s licence.

Justice M Bilal Khan of the Lahore High Court revoked Warraich’s licence after the government withdrew these powers from the Pakistan Bar Council and empowered the high courts.

Lawyers do not recognise the amendments and claim the step is aimed at sabotaging their movement for the rule of law and independence of judiciary.

The PbBC said its executive committee had taken serious notice of the order by Justice Khan and felt strongly against such ‘illegal acts’ of the judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order and were “acting under an unconstitutional amendment” to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act of 1973 that was promulgated under the emergency rule.

The PbBC said the emergency rule and PCO were unconstitutional and all ordinances passed under these circumstances were inherently unconstitutional.

“Therefore the action taken against the vice-chairman is unconstitutional,” it said.