Babar Awan urges provinces to launch welfare schemes for lawyers

LAHORE, June 28 :
Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan has urged provincial governments to launch housing schemes, medical facilities and other welfare projects for the lawyer community. Addressing a ceremony held at the Punjab Bar Council (PBC) on Monday, he said the lawyer community was a legal and democratic volunteer force and it deserved all respect. He said that if anybody fell victim to unlawful action, he immediately approached a lawyer for justice. Paying tributes to lawyers, he said they had laid down their lives and faced jail for the revival of democracy and the rule of law. "The role of lawyers is vital in the judicial system in every country around the globe", he added. Awan said that he was committed to welfare and service of lawyers as taught by the Holy Quran to serve human beings. He said that despite advice from his doctor and President Asif Ali Zardari to take care of his health, he had preferred to serve lawyers. "Lawyers are my identity and I cannot forget them," he added. Babar Awan said that he did not believe in grouping and always supported elected bars and honoured the lawyers mandate. He urged lawyers to be united for a greater Pakistan. The minister announced a grant of Rs 12.5 million for the Punjab Bar Council in the next budget. He also announced a grant of Rs 2 million for PBC staff, Rs 1 million for renovation of PBC Lawyers Hostel, Rs 50,000 each for Khawaja Janangir and Malik Shahid who recited verses from the holy Quran and a Naat respectively. Mumtaz Mustafa, Vice Chairman Punjab Bar Council, said that it was a right of lawyers to get grants from the federal government under Section 57 of Bar Council's Act of 1973 . He criticised elements who had condemned Dr Babar Awan for fulfilling his duty and helping the lawyer community. Chairman Executive Committee, Rana Muhammad Akram Khan, said that Babar Awan had proved that he was not only a law minister but well-wisher of lawyers. He assured him that lawyers would stand beside him through thick and thin. Federal Law Secretary Pir Masood Chisti and Senator Kazim Khan also spoke. Earlier, Babar Awan visited PBC's Lawyers Hostel and inaugurated new facilities provided in hostel.