Supreme Court Bar Association President, Aitzaz Ehsan has warned that if President Pervez Musharraf disallows the parliament to work in accordance with the law, lawyers' long march will proceed to the army house instead of Islamabad.
He told the Lahore Bar on the second day of the 'Black Flag Week' that President Musharraf had committed a criminal act and the administration should never act on his orders.
He said that government officials would be answerable before the civil authorities if they act on the illegal orders of President Musharraf. He added that people have rejected Musharraf hence he has no right to remain in presidency further more. Aitzaz asked the Attorney General not to follow Sharif-ud-Din Pirzada and give his consent in the national interest instead of supporting the illegal acts of President Musharraf.
He said lawyers would not allow Muharraf to further act illegally and they would march to army house if President will not allow the representatives of the people of Pakistan to work in accordance with the mandate given them during the recent elections.
He appreciated the Murree-accord and expressed his satisfaction over it. He however said lawyers and people of Pakistan would not allow the future government and the parliament to find some escape from this accord. Black flags were hoisted at the bar buildings, office of the lawyers and their vehicles. The Lahore High Court Bar Association also held its general meeting addressed by Aftab Farrukh, Nisar Safdar, Anwar Kamal and Rana Assad Ullah.
They praised the decision to restore the judiciary after one month of government formation and expressed determination to continue their struggle till the restoration of the judiciary and reinstatement of the judges.
The LHCBA and Lahore Bar Association after their general body meetings took out a rally and disbursed before the provincial assembly peacefully. The bar members later also took out a rally at the Mall Road in protest against dismissal of judges of the higher courts and demanded immediate resignation of President Musharraf.
The rally was joined by a number of political and human rights activists, students, and members of civil society. The participants were holding black flags, wearing black strips, banners, placards and chanting slogans against President Musharraf, military and the judges who took oath under Presidential Constitution Order (PCO). The rally later disbursed peacefully outside the Provincial Assembly.