LAHORE, Nov 27: The Punjab Bar Council on Saturday said it would continue to support the lawyers movement for democracy, rule of law, independence of judiciary, restoration of constitution and a true federal parliamentary form of government.

In its general meeting, the PBC expressed satisfaction over the role it had played during the last five years in promoting the cause of the community and establishment of a democratic culture in the country.

Executive committee chairman Pir Masood Chishti said the legal fraternity cherished a civil society where there were equal opportunities and fundamental rights, as enshrined in the constitution, were genuinely respected by the government and the judiciary.

He was of the view that the government had no regard for fundamental rights and was eroding the judiciary systematically. Lawyers had to play a more effective role in defending the rule of law and upholding human rights, he added.

Mr Chishti and an overwhelming majority of the members supported the ordinance which amended the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, to fix a ceiling on the provincial bar councils' membership. The ordinance set at 75 the number of PBC seats. They also supported the subsequent election schedule under which the council election would be held on December 20.

However, the members pleaded that the qualification for candidature should be reverted to a seven-year professional standing instead of 10 years as stipulated by the ordinance. They were of the view that the stringent qualification had created disappointment among young members in particular besides leading to litigation.

On a proposal by vice-chairman Tanvirur Rehman Randhawa, the number of PBC committees was reduced from 25 to 16 merging some of them with others. The decision would save about Rs3 million every year and, according to him, make the council financially viable. The decision will save expenses on at least 41 members who travelled to Lahore to attend different meetings.

According to the decision, the jail reforms and the free legal aid committees were merged into the human rights committee, the law reforms committee was merged into the rules committee, the publications and library committees were merged into the Pakistan Law Journal committee and the seminars and symposiums committee was abolished to assign its job to the council's executive committee. Committees on lawyers foundation, group insurance and gratuity were merged into the benevolent fund committee.

The members felt proud that the new council building was completed during its tenure. They appreciated former vice-chairmen Ramzan Chaudhry and Arif Chaudhry for execution of the project in a record time.

The meeting decided to reward all lawyers who had completed their 50 years in the profession without break.

Pleasantries were exchanged in the last general meeting of the Punjab Bar Council whose new council will be elected on December 20 and will take over on January 1. However, the one-year terms of the vice-chairmen and executive committee chairman is due to expire on January 31 after electing new officials.