LAHORE — The Punjab Bar Council has suspended the licenses of 777 lawyers across the province after they failed to clear the mandatory Law Graduate Assessment Test (Law GAT), the regulator announced, marking the latest in a series of large-scale enforcement actions it has taken against lawyers this year.
At a Glance:
- 777 lawyers have had their licenses suspended for failing the Law GAT
- They were part of a larger group of roughly 3,400 lawyers licensed under COVID-19-era relaxations
- The Council had ordered all 3,400 to clear the test between 2022 and 2023
- Most have since passed; 777 have not
- Records of the suspended lawyers are being sent to session judges and bar associations across Punjab
Why the Licenses Were Suspended
According to the Punjab Bar Council, the 777 lawyers were part of a larger group of about 3,400 who were enrolled without sitting the Law GAT after the Lahore High Court relaxed licensing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. To formalize their standing once normal enrollment rules resumed, the Council later directed all 3,400 provisional licensees to pass the test between 2022 and 2023.
The Council said the majority of lawyers in that group have since cleared the exam and submitted their result cards. However, 777 have yet to pass, and their licenses have now been suspended as a result.
The Council added that it is forwarding the records of the affected lawyers to session judges and bar associations throughout Punjab, a step intended to ensure they do not continue to appear in court while their licenses remain suspended.
What Is the Law GAT?
The Law Graduate Assessment Test is a mandatory examination administered by Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) through its Education Testing Council. Introduced following a Supreme Court directive, it is a prerequisite for LLB graduates seeking enrollment as advocates with any provincial bar council, including Punjab’s.
The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions covering the Constitution of Pakistan, civil and criminal procedure, the law of evidence, jurisprudence and professional ethics. Candidates must score at least 50 percent to pass, and the HEC conducts the test several times a year, giving lawyers who fail an opportunity to retake it and apply for reinstatement.
Part of a Wider Crackdown on Lawyer Credentials
The suspension of the 777 lawyers comes amid a broader push by the Punjab Bar Council to tighten scrutiny of lawyers’ academic and professional credentials through 2026.
In July, the Council suspended the licenses of 1,133 lawyers who had failed to submit HEC-verified copies of their LLB degrees by a July 15 deadline, out of 1,194 who had been directed to do so. Separately, it suspended 125 lawyers earlier the same month after flagging suspected fake or suspicious degrees linked to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai University in Sindh, with roughly 1,200 additional degrees from the same institution still under review.
Each action stems from a different requirement, but together they point to a sustained effort by the Council to remove improperly credentialed lawyers from Punjab’s courts and tighten verification for future enrollments.
What It Means for the Suspended Lawyers
The 777 lawyers named in the latest action will be unable to appear before courts in Punjab unless they pass the Law GAT and have their licenses restored. With their details now circulated to session judges and bar associations, continuing to practice on a suspended license could expose them to further action.
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