Pakistan regime warns lawyers against protests

Islamabad, Sep 28 (IANS) Responding to threats by lawyers to picket the Election Commission office here Saturday, the Pakistani government Friday said that no one would be allowed to lay siege to government buildings.

The lawyers' collective in Pakistan is protesting the Supreme Court's decision Friday to allow President Pervez Musharraf to contest presidential elections, seeking second term, even while retaining the army chief's post.

"No one will be allowed to pose a threat to the government buildings," chief of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) Shujaat Hussain told reporters.

The lawyers' collective has urged attorneys and lawyers across the country to reach Islamabad Saturday, when the Election Commission (EC) is to scrutinise the nomination papers. The presidential elections are scheduled for Oct 6, and Musharraf and 42 other candidates, including a lawyers' nominee, have filed nomination papers.

The PML-Q chief said that lawyers should mind their own business instead of indulging in politics. He added that the government has alerted the law enforcing agencies against any agitation by the lawyers or the opposition parties.

"Let's make it clear ... no one will be allowed to take law in their hand. If they try to lay siege to any government installation, we will deal with an iron hand," warned Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi told reporters.

A nine-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas, by a majority decision Friday afternoon dismissed all petitions filed against Musharraf's candidature and his simultaneously holding two offices of the president and the army chief.

Lawyers and political activists present outside the court chanted slogans against Musharraf and the court. "Go, Musharraf go", "We want independent courts," the protesters shouted.

"Now our struggle will move to the streets from the courts," Supreme Court Bar Association President Munir A. Malik told reporters.

The lawyers have fielded former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmed as their candidate in the race. And now they are set to challenge Musharraf's candidature in the EC.

"We have prepared our objections that would be presented to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Saturday," Malik told IANS.

Opposition parties too protested the apex court's decision. "This is highly disappointing and we reject this decision...We will challenge this decision and demand for a full court (hearing of the petition)," Jamaat-e-Islami deputy chief and MP Khurshid Ahmed told journalists after the decision.

Ahmed said the opposition parties would continue their struggle against military dictatorship shoulder-to-shoulder with lawyers. He added that they and other opposition parties would soon resign from the assemblies.

But Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was quick to assert that the ruling coalition has the required numbers in the assemblies and Musharraf would have an easy win in the presidential poll.

"We have required number of legislators in parliament and President Musharraf will be elected in the coming elections," Aziz told reporters.

He said that the present assemblies would complete their term. "This will be for the first time in the history of Pakistan that assemblies will be completing their full five-year term and credit for this goes to President Musharraf," he said.

Aziz also said that talks were on between the Pakistan Peoples Party and the government, but refused to divulge any details.

Asked about threats by the opposition to resign from the assemblies before the presidential poll, he said it was entirely their decision. "We want them to continue until completion of the five-year term," he said.

- IANS