Former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s decision to increase the number of provincial government’s law officers in the Lahore High Court (LHC) has become a burden on the exchequer as they are drawing huge sums in salaries. According to reports, the number of law officers in the high court are now more than double than that of judges. Presently, there are 40 judges in the LHC against 85 law officers. As many as 22 additional advocate generals (AAGs), 63 assistant advocate generals (AAGs) and 40 advocate generals (AGs) are working at the high court. Each additional advocate general is drawing Rs650,000 in salary, while assistant advocate general Rs536,000. Former chief minister had appointed 10 additional advocate generals and
20 assistant advocate generals. Legal experts say that such a large number of law officers are a burden on the exchequer, and that the Punjab government should reduce their numbers.
