The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has condemned the move regarding submission of a bill in the National Assembly to enable President Pervez Musharraf to retain the army chief slot beyond December 31, 2004.
The bar in a meeting held with SCBA President Tariq Mahmood, in the chair, described the move as undemocratic, unconstitutional and against the national interests.
The meeting also decided to cancel the bar membership of those who will cast vote in favour of the said bill. It maintained that the lawyers had not accepted the LFO, and will also not accept any such bill or amendment to the Constitution, which allows the President to hold two offices.
The meeting called upon the lawyer's community to forge unity among their ranks against illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic actions of the present regime.
The other bar members, including Hamid Khan, Kazim Khan, Hafiz Abdur Rehman Ansari said the present rulers are bent upon to divide the bar and the bench.
They said the lawyers would not allow the government to play havoc with the judiciary as well as the country, adding that lawyers are against the Legal Framework Ordinance (LFO), and did not accept any amendment to the Constitution under pressure.
They urged the lawyers community to observe strike on October 13 against the illegal arrests of members of the Nankana Bar Association.