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ISLAMABAD, Wednesday (AFP,Reuter) Pakistan's military government announced Tuesday it would relax restrictions on political activities from next month to allow public meetings at specific places after permission is granted by local authorities.

The ban on rallies and processions elsewhere would remain in force, however, a government announcement said.

The relaxation is a partial concession to the demands of the political parties which have been calling for removal of all restrictions imposed by President General Pervez Musharraf's military government soon after it seized power in a coup in October 1999.

"Political meetings shall only be organised at places or areas specified by the district or provincial government in order to prevent public inconvenience and to maintain normal public life," it said.

Musharraf, who appointed himself president last June, has set general elections for October 10 in accordance with a Supreme Court order to restore civilian rule before the third anniversary of his takeover.

lawyers warn of 'agitation'

Meanwhile Pakistani lawyers on Tuesday warned the military government of nationwide "agitation" if President Pervez Musharraf did not withdraw constitutional amendments which gave him sweeping powers.

"The representatives of lawyers are considering mounting an agitation against the forced amendments," said Supreme Court Bar Association president Hamid Khan.

Lawyers, who wore black arm bands as a mark of silent protest against the constitutional changes put in place last week, would continue to protest against the changes decreed by the military ruler, Khan told reporters in this eastern border city of Lahore.

Changes in the constitution can only be made by an elected parliament, he said.

The central feature of Musharraf's changes which he announced last Wednesday is the creation of a National Security Council (NSC) which would entrench the military's role in politics and give him power to dissolve the National Assembly or lower house of parliament.

Army, navy and airforce chiefs, plus the head of the military joint chiefs of staff committee, would sit on the council together with eight civilians to oversee the performance of the government.

Musharraf, as president, would head the council. His position as army chief means he will hold two of the council's 13 seats.

The eight civilian positions would be held by the prime minister, the four provincial chief ministers, the national opposition leader, senate chairman and speaker of the assembly.

The changes, which Musharraf said were irreversable, have also been bitterly rejected by the country's main political parties.

Commonwealth "concerned"

Meanwhile Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon said the organisation was "concerned" by the recent constitutional amendments made by Pakistan's military government.

"I am concerned by the constitutional amendments announced by General (Pervez) Musharraf on August 21, 2002, as some of these will seriously impact the process of strengthening the democratic institutions," he told a press conference at the end of three-day visit to Bangladesh.

He added:"The Commonwelath position remains that we wish to see a full return to constitutional rule in Pakistan."

Asked to comment on the belief by some that the Commonwealth was now nothing more than a talking club, Mckinnon said "more countries wanted to join the Commonwealth than leave it."

"Many wrote our obituary and wanted us to die, but we have not died," he said.

Five judges to hear Bhutto bolls petition

Meanwhile Pakistani court increased the number of judges who will hear a petition filed by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto challenging laws barring her from October polls, a court official said.

The official added that the provincial high court in Karachi, in Bhutto's home province of Sindh, had increased the number of judges to five from two at the request of state lawyers.

The government request had delayed a scheduled hearing of the petition on Tuesday. The court official said it would now be held on Thursday.

State lawyer Maqbool Elahi Malik earlier said the government had moved for a larger bench of judges because the issue involved some important constitutional clauses.

Bhutto's lawyer Kamal Azfar said the government's request to increase the number of judges was unusual given that it came after three preliminary hearings on Bhutto's petition.

"I will not say there is any sign of weakness on the part of the defendants, but such a belated action speaks for itself," said Azfar, a former governor in Bhutto's native Sindh province.

Bhutto's lawyers have challenged convictions over her failure to appear in court to answer corruption charges and a law barring convicted persons from contesting elections. 

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