Lawyers in Punjab plan to observe weekly protests

Lahore: Expanding the scope of their ongoing agitation against President General Pervez Musharraf, lawyers across Punjab province have announced full-day strikes once every week to facilitate protest rallies, meetings and hunger strikes.

Pledging not to budge from their avowed stand for independence of the judiciary, democracy and restoration of the 1973 Constitution in its pure and original form, the All Punjab Lawyers Representative Convention called on acting Chief Justice Rana Baghwandas to step down citing that his continuation in office amounted to violation of the statute by overriding regular Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The Convention, which was attended by all 113 bar associations, including representatives of the Supreme Court Bar Association and the High Court Bar Association, further demanded immediate ouster of General Musharraf from power and reconstitution of the Supreme Judicial Council.

The Convention further demanded prosecution of General Musharraf on charges of high treason for unconstitutionally holding the office of the president while in uniform.