While issuing notification subsequent to The Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act 2023 on Saturday government has empowered sub-ordinate courts to adjudicate matters relating to protection of legal fraternity across the country .
Under Section 10 of the Act every incorporated company having more than twenty million paid up capital, autonomous body, corporation or statutory authority shall engage at least one practicing advocate as legal advisor on retainer-ship basis, whereas no advocate shall serve more than three such entities as legal advisor simultaneously.
Likewise Section 11 of the Act is about provision of health facilities to legal fraternity expressing that the government shall notify in relation to all the government, and semi government hospitals, the right to every advocate, his spouse and dependent children for medical treatment at par with the gazetted government officer, subject to presentation of
their official cards and verification by the respective Bar Councils.
The Section 11 of the Act disclosed categorically that the parents, minor children, spouse of the advocate shall also be entitled to the same facilities.
The Ministry of Law and Justice has issued a notification NO.F.40(85)/2024-A. VIII and designated courts in Islamabad and all four provinces. According to the notification, the courts have been designated under the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act 2023. This decision was made in consultation with the Chief Justices of all the high courts in the country. The notification further stated that Courts of Additional District & Sessions Judges of Civil Districts and Session Divisions East and West Islamabad in their respective jurisdictions have been designated to hear cases regarding offences under the Act.
