Musharraf146;s re-election: Lawyers to go on strike

Lawyers to organisations in Pakistan have threatened to go on strike if President Pervez Musharraf went ahead with his plans to seek re-election. The lawyers, who successfully launched an agitation for reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry, will observe a strike and surround the Election Commission of Pakistan building when it scrutinises Musharraf8217;s nomination papers. This was decided at a lawyers8217; convention at the Punjab Bar Council in Lahore on Wednesday, Dawn reported on Thursday. The meeting gave a call to lawyers from all over the country to boycott courts and observe a Black Day when Musharraf submits his nomination papers to the ECP, according to a declaration issued at the convention.

8220;The house resolves that lawyers will remain on the frontline in their campaign against Musharraf and will not miss any chance to participate in any anti-Musharraf drive,8221; it said. The meeting came a day after the Election Commission said it would shortly announce the schedule for Presidential polls. The Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday endorsed Musharraf8217;s plan to get re-elected in uniform.