ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: Lawyers wore black armbands and held protest meetings across the country on Monday to critcize Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision to simultaneously keep the offices of the president and army chief.

The Pakistan Bar Council had given a call to observe the black day. In Islamabad, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) hoisted a black flag and banner with slogans against the president's decision while its members attended court proceedings wearing black armbands.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed outside the Supreme Court building, but the protesters remained peaceful. Later talking to Dawn on telephone from Karachi, the Pakistan Bar Council vice-chairman described the protest as complete success.

This was the first step of the legal fraternity in a movement against president's uniform, he added. He said the council would decide its future line of action in an all-Pakistan representative conference scheduled for Jan 29, in Karachi.

SCBA president Qazi Jameel also called for continuing the protest till the president quit uniform, and said lawyers always struggled for the supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and independence of judiciary and establishment of a true parliamentary democracy.

He told reporters at the Supreme Court building that the president's decision to simultaneously hold the two posts was against the fundamental structure of the constitution which could not be changed by a law or an amendment through a simple majority.

It was also not good for the credibility of the president to hold the two offices, Mr Jameel said. He said an army chief could become head of the state only under martial law.

Qazi Jameel deplored what he called attempts by the law minister to individually approach bar members and arrange their meetings with General Musharraf to win favour.

He was also critical of the government's Access to Justice Programme which he said was approved without taking the SCBA and PBC into confidence, the main stakeholders in the plan.

Mr Jameel assured politicians of cooperation provided they also acknowledged and supported the lawyers' community on different legal issues, including the uniform. SCBA secretary Abdul Sadiq said Gen Musharraf had violated the constitution and breached his own pledge made to the nation on Dec 31, 2004.

Association's former vice-president Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry said promotion of 26 brigadiers to the rank of major-general was an attempt of General Musharraf to perpetuate his rule.

He demanded appointment of an independent chief election commissioner after the vacation of the post by incumbent Irshad Hasan Khan. Rasheed A. Razvi said the president, while commanding and controlling the armed forces under Article 243 of the constitution, could not remain employer and an employee at the same time, and termed present situation a mockery of the constitution.

Mirza Hanif Beg, president of the Lahore District Bar Association, told Dawn on telephone that he had announced a complete boycott of court proceedings there to observe the black day.

Mehmoodul Hasan, president of the Karachi District Bar Association, said his organization had endorsed a PBC resolution denouncing the controversial two-office bill passed by the two houses of parliament.