Pakistani lawyers begin strike to pressure Musharraf to reinstate sacked judges

PAKISTAN - Pakistani lawyers began a nationwide boycott Monday to pressure President Pervez Musharraf to reinstate senior judges he sacked under a state of emergency more than three months ago.

The boycott of the courts was called by the Pakistan Bar Council, the country's main lawyers' organization, and is to continue through next week's parliamentary elections.

"We demand restoration of the judiciary. It is a single point demand to restore the judiciary as it was on Nov. 2," said Qazi Mohammed Anwar, chairman of the council's executive committee.

Musharraf declared the emergency on Nov. 3, citing deteriorating security in the country and a fight against Islamic militants, mainly in the country's northwest.

Islamabad, Monday, AP