How to Get a Free Lawyer From LAJA for a Criminal Case in Pakistan
Charged with a crime and cannot pay a lawyer? Apply to the federal Legal Aid and Justice Authority online or by phone. See who qualifies and what to attach.
If you are charged with a crime and cannot pay a lawyer, apply to the federal Legal Aid and Justice Authority (LAJA) at laja.gov.pk, or call 051-9201790. Its own site says LAJA contacts you within 3 to 5 working days and assigns a panel lawyer within 7 working days. The Authority works on criminal cases, with priority for women and children. It is free.
A police case does not wait for a family to find money. The first weeks, at the thana and in the first court appearance, are when a lawyer matters most.
This guide covers the federal route. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have their own agencies, linked below. We opened LAJA's site, its application page and the text of the law on 7 October 2026.
What LAJA is, and the cases it takes
LAJA is a federal body set up under the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Act 2020. Its site says it gives free legal, financial and ancillary help to poor and vulnerable people, especially women and juveniles, and that its main focus is criminal cases. Its director general's message adds cases involving sexual offences.
The Act is narrow on purpose. Section 9 tells the Authority to arrange legal aid, financial or other help for an applicant who is charged with a criminal offence and cannot afford a lawyer. So LAJA is not a free lawyer for a rent dispute, a property case or a business matter. For a family dispute in Punjab, see the Punjab agency instead.
Your right to a lawyer comes from the Constitution
Article 10(1) says a person who is arrested must be told the grounds of arrest and shall not be denied the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice. Article 10(2) requires that he is produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, excluding travel time. Article 10A gives every person a right to a fair trial and due process in a criminal charge.
Read the words carefully. Article 10 protects your right to a lawyer of your choice. It does not say the state pays. The payment comes from a legal aid law, which is why the application to LAJA matters.
How to apply to LAJA
You apply online on laja.gov.pk, or in person at the Authority's Islamabad office. LAJA's site gives three steps: check you qualify, submit the application, then get a panel advocate. A person of unsound mind or a minor does not need to file an application or affidavit under section 9 of the Act, so a family member can raise it.
- Check eligibility on the site or call 051-9201790.
- Fill in the online application at laja.gov.pk/application.
- LAJA reviews it and contacts you within 3 to 5 working days.
- A panel advocate is assigned within 7 working days and contacts you directly.
- Give the lawyer the FIR, the court papers and your CNIC.
The form asks for your name, father or husband name, mobile number, occupation, monthly income, CNIC, province and postal address. It also asks the type of case, your category and a case description of up to 2,000 characters. You get a reference number to track the application, according to the form. We read the form and did not submit one.
| Stage | Time LAJA states | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| LAJA contacts you after the form | 3 to 5 working days | LAJA's home and application pages |
| Panel advocate assigned | Within 7 working days | LAJA's home page |
| Authority decides the application | Within 7 days of receipt | Section 9 of the 2020 Act |
The documents to keep ready
LAJA's downloads page lists a form for free legal aid as a power of attorney, which lets the assigned lawyer act for you in court. Keep these ready:
- your CNIC, and the CNIC of the person arrested if different
- a copy of the FIR or the police report
- the date and court of your next hearing
- proof of your monthly income, since the form asks for it
- a working mobile number that LAJA can call
The law also says the application is supported by an affidavit sworn by the applicant and other documents as prescribed. We could not see the prescribed list on LAJA's site, so ask the helpline what to attach.
Who qualifies, and what we could not confirm
Section 9 sets the test as a person charged with a crime who is unable to afford legal representation. The Authority may inquire into your means, and it must show you its report and let you comment on it. Preference goes to disadvantaged women and children, especially in matters of sexual offences.
LAJA's site says free aid goes to eligible women, children and persons below an income threshold. It does not publish the threshold on the pages we read. Some third-party pages quote a figure, but we do not repeat it, because it is not on LAJA's own site. Call the helpline and ask.
The Act says the Authority shall decide an application within seven days of receipt. LAJA's own page says it will contact you within 3 to 5 working days. If you hear nothing after a week, call the helpline.
Honesty matters, and so does where LAJA works
Section 10 lets LAJA withdraw its help and recover the money if the application, affidavit or papers contain false details. State your income truthfully.
LAJA's history page says district-wise services began in 2026, starting from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and that staff recruitment began nationwide in 2026. Its home page shows 682 applications received, 83 cases in court and 9 panel advocates. So the service is new and small. We could not confirm that panel lawyers are available in every district, and you should expect it to be strongest around Islamabad and Rawalpindi for now.
If you live in Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Those provinces run their own agencies, with wider categories than LAJA. Use how to get a free lawyer in Punjab for the Punjab Legal Aid Agency, including women in family disputes. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, how to get a free lawyer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa explains the two schemes there. We did not check Sindh or Balochistan legal aid agencies, so this page makes no claim about them.
We also did not verify any bar council legal aid desk. Once you have a lawyer, you can verify a lawyer's licence before you pay or sign, and if one behaves badly, complain against a lawyer through the bar council.
Common questions
Can a poor person get a free lawyer in Pakistan?
Yes, in criminal cases. The federal LAJA assigns a panel lawyer free of charge to eligible applicants, and Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa run their own agencies.
How do I apply to LAJA?
Fill in the form at laja.gov.pk/application, or visit the Islamabad office. You can also call 051-9201790. LAJA says it contacts you within 3 to 5 working days.
Does the Constitution give me a free lawyer?
Article 10 gives you the right to consult and be defended by a lawyer of your choice, and Article 10A a fair trial. It does not say who pays. Legal aid laws provide for that.
Does LAJA take civil or property cases?
Its Act and its site focus on criminal cases. For other disputes, check your provincial legal aid agency.
What is LAJA's phone number and address?
The helpline is 051-9201790 and the email is contact@laja.gov.pk. The office is on the 10th floor of State Life Building 5, Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area, F-6, Islamabad.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 7 October 2026. We read LAJA's home, about, downloads and application pages, the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Act 2020 as printed in the Gazette of Pakistan, and Articles 10 and 10A of the Constitution. We did not submit an application, did not call the helpline, and could not find the income threshold or the prescribed document list. Sources: Legal Aid and Justice Authority, Legal Aid and Justice Authority Act 2020 and Constitution of Pakistan.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
