ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Lawyers will lay siege to the offices of the Election Commission of Pakistan on Sept 29 — the day of scrutiny of the nomination papers of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Supreme Court Bar Association president Munir A. Malik, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Hamid Khan and Ali Ahmed Kurd said that lawyers would continue their peaceful struggle for supremacy of rule of law.

Mr Malik accused the government of using negative tactics to suppress the lawyers’ movement. He said that on Sept 29 the lawyers would besiege the Election Commission building and take out rallies throughout the country to express their resentment.

Hamid Khan said the government had resorted to violence and was using brutal tactics to suppress lawyers’ struggle. Two eminent lawyers had been killed in Karachi and cases had been registered against lawyers holding a peaceful rally in Chakwal, he said.

Aitzaz Ahsan said the first phase of lawyers’ movement had ended with the reinstatement of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the struggle for the rule of law would continue. He said that lawyers were united and would continue struggle till the achievement of their objectives.

Ali Ahmed Kurd warned that if the government did not stop using force against lawyers, journalists and members of civil society, it would have to bear the consequences.