RAWALPINDI, April 8: District Bar Association, through a unanimous resolution, has rejected the proposed referendum, terming it extra-constitutional and infringement upon the rights of citizens and the parliament.

The resolution was passed at a meeting, also attended by the representatives of Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench Bar.

Chaudhry Ikram Advocate, talking to Dawn after the meeting on Monday, said the bar rejected the referendum because it felt that it was a tactic of the military junta to prolong its rule.

He said Article 41 of the Constitution, related to election to the office of president, had no provision for election through a referendum.

Under Article 48 of the Constitution, Mr Ikram said, referendum could only be held for eliciting public opinion about issues of national interest and not for getting anyone elected president.

He said general elections were planned to be held in October, after which parliament would come into existence. The bar believes that electing a president for the country is the prerogative of the parliament, which will be compromised in case the referendum is held, he added.

The other concern of the bar, Mr Ikram said, was that the president, by virtue of holding the office of chief of army staff, was a government employee and, hence, could not get himself elected without completing a two years term after retirement, mandatory for all government servants.