Extension to COAS: PBC announces countrywide strike today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council has announced that lawyers throughout the country will observe full day strike today (Thursday) against what it called unconstitutional moves of the Federal government for giving extension in service to the incumbent Chief of the Army Staff and rescue General Pervez Musharraf from punishment for committing high treason. The lawyers will hold protest and condemnation meetings in their respective Bar Rooms, said Syed Amjad Shah, Vice-Chairman and Sher Muhammad Khan, Chairman Executive Committee, Pakistan Bar Council. In a statement issued here on Wednesday, they strongly condemned the belated efforts and maneuverings of the Federal government after yesterday’s order of the Supreme Court, for rectification of their mistakes and to bring about amendments in some relevant laws in an attempt to overcome their inefficiency in the matter of granting extension in service of the incumbent Chief of the Army Staff. They have also disapproved and condemned the unjustified and unprecedented move, in violation of the Constitutional provisions and earlier decisions of the Federal government to approach the Islamabad High Court seeking directions to the Special Court seized with the matter of “High Treason Case” against General Pervez Musharraf, for not announcing its verdict. Amjad Shah the other day had withdrawn its call for observance of Black Day by the lawyers throughout the country on November 28 in view of the Supreme Court order, suspending the operation of the notification of the government for extension in service to the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.