ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Tuesday asked lawyers community to observe black day on Monday next (January 10, 2005) to protest against President Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision to keep both offices of the President and the army chief.

In a call to all bar councils and associations across the country, PBC Vice-Chairman Rasheed A. Razvi, suggested the legal fraternity to convene and hold protest meetings on Jan 10 and condemn President Musharraf's decision of holding both the offices.

He also asked different lawyers' organizations to hoist black flags on every bar building. "I am confident that in line with past traditions of the Bar for upholding the sanctity of the constitution, the lawyers will make it possible to observe the black day," the two-page letter said.

The lawyers fraternity has always strived for the supremacy of the constitution, rule of law, independence of judiciary and establishment of true parliamentary democracy, the letter mentioned.

Earlier, the PBC, while condemning the dual office bill passed by two houses of parliament, decided to observe the black day on Jan 10 through a resolution during an All-Pakistan Lawyers' Convention held in Nov, 2004 in Lahore.

Mr Razvi also recalled in his letter that lawyers had been struggling for the cause of democracy and the rule of law since Oct 12, 1999, military take-over and have sacrificed a lot for which the PBC, being lawyers, to body, was proud of.