Lecture on ’Rule of Law’ by Bryn D. Hunt Principal Officer of American Counsellate on 13 Feb. 2007.

Brian D. Hunt, Principal Officer of American Counsellate visited Punjab Law College and delivered an informative lecture on ’Rule of Law’ on 13 th February, 2007. Initially, he told about the different areas of Rule of Law and its implementations on various institutions of the United States and with special reference to Pakistan.

He pointed out the dichotomies of Pakistani institutional malpractices and its bad impact on societal supra structure of government due to the misinterpretation of this ’rule’ by the authorities.

He, very comprehensively, drew the marked features of American perspectives of this rule and gave a thought provoking comparison between Pakistan and United States.

He elaborated numerically United States’ endeavors and reforms upon developing countries as far as their strategic relations are concerned and laid down the principles on which United States’ policies are based, with a view to apply this rule for better outputs in the present scenario.

He, categorically presented a very realistic approach of United States towards the effect of Rule of Law in American Departments and the growth of state functionaries in this particular regard.

At the end of his lecture, he replied the queries of the students and aptly removed the disillusions in the minds of the budding lawyers. His lecture ended on his note that rule of law is the ultimate solution for keeping any state and its functionaries working.

Azeem Farooqi.

 

A lecture by Mr. Waqas Dar, Director, Law, Country Litigation Head, SECP, Lahore on 17 th March, 2007.

Mr. Waqas Dar was invited by the Punjab Law College Lahore to deliver a lecture on the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. A large number of students from LLB part II attended his lecture. In his lecture, he spoke of the structure, functions and powers of SECP.

He said that the Commission has organized itself into divisions, sub-divisions and wings. While talking about the functions of the commission he told the students that the commission is responsible to regulate the Business in Stock Exchange and any other security market.

Furthermore, he underscored the role of the commission to monitor and regulate the activities of corporate sector. He said that this is the duty of the commission to block fraudulent and unfair trade practices relating to corporate sector.

He described the procedure of investigation by the commission into unfair trade practices for which the commission may take even suo moto action.

After this, he switched over to the procedure for appeals to the commission. He elaborated the composition, procedure and powers of the appellate bench of the commission and indicated some matters in which the above mentioned bench is the final authority.

At the end he addressed the questions of the students.

 

Annual Prize Distribution ceremony at which chief guest was Kathleen M. Eagon from American Counsellate on 28 th March, 2007.

Punjab Law College conducted Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony at the college premises on 28 th March, 2007. All the members of college faculty including lost of the visiting faculty members were present at the ceremony which was honored as Chief Guest by Kathleen M. Eagon, The Principal Officer of American Counsellate. The program started with the recitation of Holy Quran. After that Miss Hadia Awan, Principal, Punjab Law College, had a welcome address for the Chief Guest and she talked about the University of Central Punjab generally and Punjab Law College specifically. She formally introduced the Guest before the audience. She underscored the role of Punjab Law College in the legal education of Pakistan. After the address of the Principal, regular function started with prize distribution by the Chief Guest.

At first prizes were given to the students of LLB part I, II and III who had obtained positions in University of Punjab Annual Examinations. After that the students who achieved first positions in college mid-term examinations were given awards and cash prizes. Then after, those students who scored highest marks in individual subjects of LLB part I, II and III were given cash prizes respectively.

After the academic awards, there were certain other prizes of co-curricular activities in the college. In those activities, there was a trophy given to the Man of the Match of the final of Cricket Series played between the faculty and the students. Apart from that there were awards for members of the Debating Society and Study Circle.

The distribution of prizes was followed by an address of Mr. Zill-e-Atif, Assistant Dean, Punjab Law College, in which he admired the hard work of the students and the faculty and he specially appreciated the efforts of the Principal, Miss Hadia Awan regarding the performance of the college, both in academic and co-curricular activities.

Then after, the Chief Guest, Kathleen M. Eagon was called upon the stage to address the students. In her address, she emphasized the role of legal education in the development of a country. She praised the students and the faculty for showing such a remarkable performance and for honoring her in that particular ceremony.

After the address of the Chief Guest, the program was wrapped up and it followed a refreshment party which was given by the college to the Chief Guest.

 

Visit of Sessions court conducted by college for the students of final year accompanied by the faculty on 7 th April, 2007.

Punjab Law College organized a visit to Sessions and Civil Court for the students of final year on Saturday, 7 th April, 2007. The faculty accompanying the students was consisting Mr. Saleem Aftab, a visiting faculty member and an advocate, Mr. Nasir Majeed and Mr.Yasir Hafeez from the permanent faculty of the college.

In the morning of Saturday, students came to the college in uniforms as they were directed by the Principal. Before leaving, the students were informed about do’s and don’ts to be observed in the court room and they along with faculty prepared sandwiches for themselves. Transportation and during the visit refreshment were arranged by the college.

The students along with faculty members left for the court in the college bus at about 10 O’ clock AM. The plan was to visit Court of Sessions at first, then after, Civil Courts. Firstly students visited the court of Mr. Jawad-ul-Hassan, ASJ. When students entered the Courtroom, the honorable judge was in his chamber, so they seated there to wait for the judge and were directed to rise, as the judge enters the courtroom and so happened when the judge entered. At first the judge addressed the students and advised the student to work hard and to believe in “success lies in hard work” then after, he discussed some cases, which were being adjudicated by him.

After leaving the court of Mr. Jawad-ul-Hassan, the students visited the Bar Room where they were entertained with the sandwiches prepared at the college and drinks which were bought from the canteen of Bar Room.

When the refreshment was over, the students and the faculty members left for the Civil Courts in college bus. In the Civil Courts, they visited the court of Mr. Ushter Abbas, ASJ. The students got seated in the same manner as they did in the last court and rose as the honorable judge entered the courtroom. The students learnt the way evidence is recorded as at that time evidence was being recorded in some case in that court. The judgment in that case was reserved and the honorable judge went back to his chamber where he called upon the faculty and some of the students who were position holders, and discussed different matters with them. The students took much interest in the case being adjudicated in the court so they anxiously waited in the courtroom for the pronouncement of judgment.

After that, the canteen of the civil courts was visited for drinks. When everybody was done with the drinks, they mounted the bus again for going back to college. While going back, students shared their views about the visit, among each other and with the faculty that they learnt a lot in this visit and that they were impatiently waiting their turns to be lawyers. When the bus reached the college, the students were left at their own disposal, from where some of them left for their homes and others went to library of the college for studies.

Workshop on IP law at LCCI attended by students and the faculty on 4 th and 5 th May, 2007.

A two days workshop on WTO & Intellectual Property Rights was held at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry which was organized by International Islamic University, Islamabad in collaboration with UNDP Pakistan on 4 th and 5 th May, 2007.

The college participated the workshop. The participants included two faculty members namely Mr. Muhammad Imran and Mr. Nasir Majeed along with the students of LLB part I and II.

The workshop was a good learning curve for the participants, being arranged in a thorough professional manner. There were six speakers at the workshop and they presented different aspects of WTO & Intellectual Property Laws in Pakistan.

Mr. Bashir Ghuman, Senior Consultant, WTO program, Faculty of management sciences IIUI, presented the introduction of WTO. An overview of Trips Agreement, its scope, coverage and Industrial arrangements was presented by Mr. Nazeer Ahmad Saleemi, Ex Deputy Chief, Planning Commission of Pakistan, Islamabad. Mr. Rizwan Basharat, Incharge IPO Pakistan office, Lahore, delivered his lecture on Patent Laws in Pakistan and their implication. Mr. Ijaz Raheem, Advocate delivered his lecture on Copy Rights Laws in Pakistan and their application. Mr. Shakeel Abid Advocate delivered lecture on Trade Mark Laws in Pakistan and matters ancillary thereto. Mr. Yasin Tahir, Director General, IPO, Pakistan, highlighted the role, functions and promotion of IPR in Pakistan by IPO.

The workshop was graced by Justice (R) Khalil ur Rehman Khan as Chief Guest and awarded certificates to the participants.

At the end, Punjab Law College also presented souvenirs to the organizers and the Chief Guests.

Visit of SECP arranged by the college for students of LLB part 2 accompanied by the faculty.

 

Seminar on Women’s rights at Hotel Sunfort conducted by White Ribbon an NGO, attended by the faculty and the students.

On January 22, 2007 at Hotel Sunfort, Women Empowerment Group held an orientation seminar for educational institutions on the topic ‘violence against women’. Our two faculty members namely Mr. Azeem Farooqi and Miss Izzat Waseem represented Punjab Law College in that particular seminar.

The program was mainly addressed by Umer Aftab, Country Director, White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan. In his address, he highlighted the plight of women in Pakistan especially in rural areas. He enumerated many reasons for this plight and major were illiteracy, lack of training, ignorance, unemployment and ignorance about basic concepts of life. He stressed the speedy working of supportive system which includes institutions like Shelter Homes, Pannah and Dar ul Amman. He also requested the Police, Media and Judiciary to play their vital role in this regard to eliminate this menace from Pakistan. He pointed out that the ratio of gender based violence is very high in Pakistan which is very alarming situation and it should be overcome by the promotion of basic and traditional set of values, promotion of fundamental rights and enlightenment of Islamic teaching.

This address was followed by two presentations by Ms. Yasmin Hamdan of GTZ and Ms. Samar Nigar of WRC on ‘causes’ for violence against women.

Before wrapping up program an interactive session was held among the participant institutions for sharing their ideas and suggestions on how these institutions can play their role for this and collaborate with White Ribbon Campaign to discourage these obnoxious practices against women and to uplift the women’s deplorable condition and make them supportive citizens of Pakistan.