The Sindh High Court on Monday suspended the operation of the Pakistan Bar Council’s notification that made the National Testing Service (NTS) examination mandatory for the allotment of licences to lawyers.
The petitioner, Ahsan Bari, an LLB degree holder, submitted that the PBC through a notification dated March 7, 2013, made an amendment to the Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Rules 1976, making the NTS examination mandatory for apprentice advocates if they were to acquire a practicing license.
He submitted that NTS examination was scheduled to be conducted on January 18 but the later Lahore High Court granted stay order against the test.
The petitioner quoted the Sindh Bar Council’s chair as saying that there was no possibility for the enrolment of advocates unless the PBC declares another policy for their enrolment.
He argued that the amendment in question was contrary to the provision of the Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act 1973 as the Act itself lays down a proper procedure and criteria pertaining to the issue. He added that the PBC instead of making the admission process transparent and taking cogent steps to implement the provisions of the Act are violating the Act. He further said that they were putting the career of many advocates at stake.
He requested the court to declare that the NTS test contrary to Section 26 of the Act.
The hearing was adjourned until April 1, 2015.s
