Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act, 2023

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THE LAWYERS WELFARE AND PROTECTION ACT, 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
CHAPTER-I 
PRELIMINARY 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
CHAPTER-II 
OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS 
3.  Offences and Punishments 
4.  Investigation 
5.  Establishment of Court 
6.  Jurisdiction 
7.  Trial 
8.  Joint Trials 
9.  Privileged communication of advocate 
CHAPTER-III 
WELFARE OF ADVOCATES 
10.  Legal advisory 
11.  Provision of health facilities 
12.  Financial Facilities 
 

 
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13.  Shuhada Package 
14.  Power to make rules 
15.  Overriding effect 
16.  Application of the Code 
17.  Removal of difficulties 
 
 
  
 
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THE LAWYERS WELFARE AND PROTECTION ACT, 2023 
 
ACT NO. XII OF 2023 
 
[31st March, 2023] 
 
An Act to make provision and make laws in respect of welfare and protection of advocates 
 
WHEREAS it is necessary to provide welfare and protection of advocates through this legal 
framework and for the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto; 
 
It is hereby enacted as follows:__ 
 
CHAPTER-I 
 
PRELIMINARY 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.__ (1) This Act shall be called the Lawyers Welfare 
and Protection Act, 2023. 
(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
 
2. Definitions.__ (1) In this act, unless the context otherwise requires,__ 
 
(a)  “act of violence” means any act committed by any person against an advocate 
with the intent to prejudice, affect or derail the process of impartial, fair and 
fearless conduct of cases before any court, tribunal or authority by which such 
advocate is engaged and shall include the following:⸻ 
 
(i)  harassment, coercion, assault, criminal force or threat impacting the 
living or working conditions of such advocate and preventing him from 
discharging his duties; 
 
(ii)  harm, injury, hurt either grievous or simple, or danger to the life of such 
advocate, either within the premises of the courts or otherwise; 
 
(iii)  coercion by whatsoever means, by any person or authority to reveal or 
part with privileged communication or material which an advocate is 
bound to hold in confidence under the law; 
 
(iv)  coercion by whatsoever means of an advocate not to represent or to 
withdraw his Vakalatnama or appearance to act, plead or appear on 
behalf of a client before any court, tribunal or authority; 
 
(v)  loss or damage to any property or documents or material which such 
advocate is bound to hold under the law; or 
 
(vi)  usage of derogatory language during the course of the judicial and quasi-
judicial proceedings. 
 
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(b)  “advocate” shall have the same meaning as assigned thereto in the Legal 
Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 (XXXV of 1973); 
 
(c)  “Bar Council” shall have the same meaning as assigned thereto in the Legal 
Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 (XXXV of 1973); 
 
(d)  “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act No. V of 1898); 
 
(e) “Court” means the court notified under section 5 or established under any other 
law; 
 
(f)  “Government” means the Federal Government or the Provincial Government, 
as the case may be; and 
 
(g)  “offence” denotes any act made punishable under this Act or under any other 
law for the time being in force; and 
 
(h)  “privileged communication” shall have the same meaning as given in the 
Qanun-e-Shahadat, 1984 (P.O. No. 10 of 1984). 
(2) Any expression or words used in this Act but not specifically defined shall have the same 
meaning as assigned thereto in the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 (XXXV of 1973) 
and the Pakistan Penal Code, (Act XLV of 1860). 
 
CHAPTER-II 
 
OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS 
 
3. Offences and Punishments.__ (1) Whoever commits or abets the commission of act of 
violence, except any act of violence covered by sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 
2, against an advocate shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three 
years or fine which may extend to hundred thousand rupees or with both. 
 
(2) Whoever, having already been convicted of an offence under this Act is convicted for the 
second time for any subsequent offence under this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term 
which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to five years or fine which may extend to 
two hundred thousand rupees or with both. 
 
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code or any other law for the time being in 
force, every offence committed under this Act shall be non-bailable, compoundable with permission 
of the Court and deemed to be a cognizable offence within the meaning of clause (f) of section 4 of 
the Code and the words “cognizable case” as defined in the clause shall be construed accordingly. 
 
4. Investigation.__ Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in 
force,__ 
 
(a)  any offence committed under this Act shall be investigated by the police officer 
not below the rank of an Inspector; and 
 
 
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(b)  the investigation of the case registered under this Act shall be completed within 
a period of fourteen days from the day of registration of the case. 
 
5. Establishment of Court.__ (1) The Federal Government may, in consultation with the Chief 
Justice of the High Court concerned, designate, throughout the country, as many courts of Additional 
Sessions Judges or such other courts, as it may deem necessary to try the offences under this Act. 
 
6. Jurisdiction.__ Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code or any other law for the 
time being in force, offences committed under this Act shall be tried by the Court notified under this 
Act. 
 
7. Trial.__ The Court upon taking cognizance of a case under this Act, shall decide the case 
expeditiously, preferable within six months and any adjournment in the case shall be followed by 
reasons: 
 
Provided that where the trial is not concluded within the stipulated period of six months, the 
Court shall record reasons for the same. 
 
8. Joint Trials.__ (1) While trying an offence under this Act, the Court may also try, at the same 
trial, any other offence with which an accused may be charged under the Code, if the offence is 
connected with such other offence. 
 
(2) Where in the course of trial of an offence under this Act, it is found that the accused person 
has also committed another offence under any other law for the time being in force, the Court may 
convict an accused for such other offence and pass sentence authorized by such other law. 
 
9. Privileged communication of advocate.__ Notwithstanding anything contained in any other 
law for the time being in force,__ 
 
(a)  no person, public servant or any authority shall have the power to arrest, detain, 
investigate any advocate under any law for the time being in force to obtain any 
document, material or any information from such advocate pertaining to his 
professional duties; and 
 
(b)  the violation of the clause (a) shall be deemed as act of violence within the 
meaning of section 2. 
 
CHAPTER-III 
 
WELFARE OF ADVOCATES 
 
10. Legal advisory.__ Every incorporated company having more than twenty million paid up 
capital, autonomous body, corporation or statutory authority shall have to 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. 
 
11. Provision of health facilities.__ 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: 
 
 
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Provided that for the purpose of this section, the parents, minor children, spouse of the advocate 
shall also be entitled to the same facilities. 
 
12. Financial Facilities.__ All financial institutions shall extend to the advocates the provision 
of financial facilities without discrimination in any manner whatsoever, and in case of any violation, 
on the complaint of aggrieved advocate, the concerned authority shall initiate appropriate action. 
 
13. Shuhada Package.__ An advocate who is the victim of any act of terrorism or other 
aggression while performing his professional duty, whose assailants are unknown, his family shall be 
entitled to the Shuhada package as is admissible to gazetted officers in BPS-18 of the Government. 
 
14. Power to make rules.__ The Federal Government may make rules for carrying out the 
purpose of this Act. 
 
15. Overriding effect.__ The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything 
to the contrary contained in any law for the time being in force. 
 
16. Application of the Code.__ The provisions of the Code, to the extent not inconsistent with 
anything contained in this Act, shall apply mutatis-mutandis. 
 
17. Removal of difficulties.__ Where any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the 
provisions of this Act, the Federal Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make such 
order, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as may appear to be necessary for the purpose 
of removing the difficulty. 
 
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RGN Date: 26-09-2025