RAWALPINDI, June 12: Lawyers are planning to launch a countrywide movement against the government which, they say, has been taking steps violative of the constitution.

“The country is passing through the worst of times. There is no rule of law, because of which people’s rights are being violated. Lawyers won’t allow trampling of the constitution,” said Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry, the president of Lahore High Court Bar Association’s Rawalpindi chapter at a Meet the Press programme here on Wednesday.

The association’s president said a countrywide lawyers’ forum would visit the various bars and mobilize lawyers for the campaign. Named the All Pakistan Lawyers’ Representatives Unity, the body would keep the government under pressure to prevent it from violating the constitution and ensure the rule of law.

Mr Ikram regretted that the country had suffered a leadership crises since its inception. As a result, the common man has to suffer as he is not allowed even a level playing field, he added.

He said the country could get out of the leadership crises only if the people were mature enough to choose honest leaders and run a campaign against the corrupt and dishonest politicians. He also stressed on the media to help expose the corrupt elements.

He demanded a media trial of the chief election commissioner for his “dishonest role” in the presidential referendum. He also demanded an independent election commission to hold fair and transparent elections.

He asked President Gen Pervez Musharaf to abdicate from all the posts that he was holding and restore the constitution.

Mr Ikram attacked the Doctrine of Necessity, saying that it negated the will of country’s 140 million people.

This doctrine is being used by people who want to distort the constitution for the sake of their personal interests, he said and added, it should be ended forthwith.

The Bar president demanded that elections should be held in September instead of October.