Punjab Bar Council has issued notices to over 100 hotels and restaurants, directing them to stop using lawyer-like uniforms for staff or face legal action.
The Punjab Bar Council has issued notices to more than 100 hotels and restaurants across the province, instructing them to immediately stop using uniforms that resemble the official attire of lawyers. The council warned that businesses failing to comply could face strict legal action under the law.
According to the Punjab Bar Council, the decision follows several complaints alleging that employees at various hospitality establishments were wearing uniforms closely matching the official dress worn by advocates and judges. The council believes such clothing can create confusion among the public and may lead people to mistakenly identify restaurant staff as legal professionals.
The notices were issued by the chairman of the Punjab Bar Council’s Disciplinary Committee. They require the hotels and restaurants to submit complete details of employees wearing the disputed uniforms, explain their job roles, and provide a formal response to the allegations before the disciplinary committee.
The Punjab Bar Council emphasised that only individuals officially enrolled as advocates are permitted to wear the prescribed lawyers’ uniform. It stated that any unauthorised use of legal attire may amount to a violation of the law and could invite disciplinary or legal proceedings.
The council further warned that if businesses continue using such uniforms, legal action may not only be taken against the establishments themselves but also against their owners, directors, shareholders, managers, and employees responsible for the practice.
Speaking about the matter, Punjab Bar Council Disciplinary Committee Chairman Abbas Ali Chadhar clarified that the initiative is not intended to portray lawyers as a privileged class. Instead, he said the primary objective is to protect the identity of the legal profession and prevent misunderstandings among the general public.
He urged hotels and restaurants to introduce distinctive uniforms for waiters and other staff members to avoid any resemblance to official legal dress. Chadhar also noted that the concern extends to clothing associated with members of the judiciary, stressing that judicial attire should not be copied or used for commercial purposes.
The Punjab Bar Council also reiterated the officially prescribed dress code for advocates. Male lawyers are required to wear a black coat with a white shirt, black tie, and black, grey, or white trousers, or a white shalwar kameez paired with a black sherwani. Female advocates are required to wear a black coat with a white shalwar kameez and a white dupatta.
The council says preserving the distinct identity of advocates and judges is essential to maintaining public confidence in Pakistan’s legal system.
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