Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has urged the nation's lawyers to help ease the political crisis triggered by his removal of the country's top judge.
General Musharraf made the comment Friday in Islamabad, at a military parade held to mark the annual Pakistan Day holiday. He also urged Pakistanis to help fight extremism and terrorism in their country.
Lawyers and opposition parties have held nationwide protests for the past two weeks, since General Musharraf removed the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Critics say the president is trying to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
Several legal professionals in Pakistan have resigned in protest of Chaudhry's removal.
Chaudhry's supporters say the independent-minded justice was removed because of pending legal challenges related to General Musharraf's dual posts as president and army chief of staff.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
