November 17, 2002	Sunday	Ramazan 11, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Around 40 lawyers and politicians demonstrated in front of the National Assembly here on Saturday as the MNAs-elect arrived for the first session of the lower house.

The protestors waved placards rejecting controversial amendments introduced by President Pervez Musharraf in August via the Legal Framework Order (LFO).

“We will continue our fight for democracy in this country and we will fight for the supremacy of parliament and parliamentarians,” said Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

“The LFO has no legal basis or status,” said Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N).

The president of Rawalpindi’s High Court Bar Association, Muhammad Ikram Chaudhry, said the lawyers were protesting against Musharraf’s domination of Pakistan.

“Parliament...and all the institutions including the judiciary, executive and the army itself... are hostage to this general,” he told reporters. The lawyer also lashed out at 13 MNAs from PPP, who have declared they will support their campaign rival PML-Q to help it form a coalition government.—AFP