LAHORE, Feb 17: An All Pakistan Lawyers Convention on Saturday denounced all moves to help President Musharraf secure another term in the office by the present assemblies.

Terming the moves mala fide, the convention passed a resolution against it besides two other resolutions, including one to condemn blast in a Quetta courtroom, which had killed around 15 people.

The joint action committees of the Supreme Court Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Council had arranged the convention held at the Lahore High Court.

Speakers included Asma Jahangir of HRCP, Aitzaz Ahsan, Fakhar Imam of PPP, PML-N MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq, SCBA president Munir A Malik, LHCBA former president Ahmad Awais, finance secretary Rabbiya Bajwa and convener Muhammad Azhar of the convention, besides other senior lawyers.

The speakers resolved to resist any changes in the Constitution of Pakistan, besides opposing the President Musharraf’s bid to get him elected as president from present assemblies.

Demanding appointment of an independent election commission, the speakers said fair and free polls in the country were not possible without President Musharraf quitting his office of chief of army staff. —Staff Reporter