KARACHI, July 29 Lawyers did not attend legal proceedings at the city and Malir courts on Wednesday and observed what they described as the “Accountability Day” to mark the summoning of a former army chief by the apex court while hearing a case.

Retired General Pervez Musharraf was asked by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to defend his extra-constitutional actions, including the declaration of a state of emergency in the country on Nov 3, 2007.

Addressing a general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association held at Shuhada-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts, the representatives of legal community lauded the Supreme Court for summoning the retired general over his unconstitutional steps.

They urged the government to charge retired General Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution, as he had taken many unconstitutional steps during his nine-year rule. They said the former army chief and president had abrogated the Constitution twice, derailed the judiciary, dissolved the elected government of Nawaz Sharif, put curbs on the media and launched military operations in Balochistan, the tribal areas and against Lal Masjid in Islamabad, resulting in countless deaths. They said that the retired general must be prosecuted over these actions.