The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has announced that lawyers will observe a countrywide strike on Thursday to protest what it called the "unconstitutional moves" of the federal government regarding Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure extension and the high treason case against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

According to a press release issued by the body on Wednesday, lawyers will observe a full-day strike tomorrow when they will hold protest and condemnation meetings in their respective bar rooms against the government measures to grant an extension in service to the incumbent army chief and "rescue" Musharraf from punishment in the high treason case.

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The PTI-led government is currently engaged in the Supreme Court where it is defending the procedure under which Prime Minister Imran Khan approved an extension in the tenure of Gen Bajwa. Also, the interior ministry earlier this week petitioned the Islamabad High Court to halt a special court from announcing its judgement in the high treason case against Musharraf. Its plea was accepted by the IHC today.

PBC Vice Chairman Syed Amjad Shah and the chairman of its executive committee, Sher Muhammad Khan, strongly condemned the "belated efforts and maneuverings of the federal government" after yesterday’s order of the Supreme Court in the case pertaining to Gen Bajwa's extension, according to the statement.

They said the government had rectified its mistakes and brought about amendments in some relevant laws in an attempt to "overcome their inefficiency" in the matter of granting extension to the army chief.

The PBC officials also condemned what they called the government's "unjustified and unprecedented move" to approach the IHC to restrain the special court from announcing its verdict in the case against Musharraf.