Pakistan information commission declares Pakistan bar council a public body, orders disclosure of information

The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has declared the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) a public body under the Right of Access

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has declared the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) a public body under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017, and directed it to provide within 15 days information sought regarding lawyers’ degrees, licence cancellations, government grants and governing body proceedings.

The order was issued in appeal titled Saddia Mazhar vs Pakistan Bar Council, by Chief Information Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and Information Commissioner Ijaz Hassan Awan.

The applicant had sought eight categories of information, including province-wise numbers of PBC members or licence holders; those who had submitted attested degrees; lawyers whose licences were cancelled for failing to submit attested educational documents; and those whose licences were cancelled over fake degrees.

She also sought copies of circulars and notifications concerning degree attestation, details of federal and provincial government grants received since 2020, including amounts and dates, and a copy of the latest minutes of the PBC Governing Body meeting.

In its reply to the Commission, that the PBC maintained that it was an autonomous statutory body generating its own funds and did not fall within the definition of a public body. Its representatives argued that the government exercised neither financial nor administrative control over it, while acknowledging that the Attorney General for Pakistan is its ex officio member.

The Commission rejected the PBC’s position, holding that it is a statutory organisation established under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, and performs important public functions relating to legal education, recognition of law degrees and regulation of legal practitioners.

It also observed that Bar Councils receive public funds or government grants and their offices are located in public buildings.

The PIC ruled that the PBC falls within the definition of a public body under Section 2(ix)(g) and (h) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. It further held that none of the eight information requests attracted an exemption under the law.

The Secretary, Pakistan Bar Council, was consequently directed to provide the requested information within 15 days of receiving the order. The case was adjourned until September 2, 2026.