ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: The government has directed all the law enforcement agencies to strictly maintain law and order during President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to the United States, starting from Wednesday.

“We have reports of some elements trying to create law and order problem during the president’s visit abroad and we have made elaborate counter measures”, well placed sources informed Dawn.

The law enforcement agencies have submitted reports warning of deterioration in the law and order situation as a result of protest demonstrations being organized by the anti-government religious parties for support to the US attacks on Afghanistan.

The president is expected to leave the country on Nov 7 to attend the UN General Assembly session and return on Nov 12 after also visiting London and Paris.

Sources in the ministry of interior said the timing of the countrywide wheel jam strike given by the religious parties on Nov 9 has sent panic signals in the government circles.

Some of the political parties, previously sitting on the side lines, have also decided to join the religious organizations in the anti-government protests, a source said, adding, things are feared to go from bad to worse in the coming days.

To what they call crisis management and combat the law and order problem, sources said that religious leaders have been warned to remain peaceful and any attempt to incite the people against government would be dealt with sternly.

“If anyone tries to incite the public against government they would be arrested”, said the source. The law enforcement agencies have been directed to take “all necessary steps” to ensure law and order, sources added.

Officials in National Reconstruction Bureau told Dawn that district Nazims have been directed by the president to coordinate the law and order situation with the respective district police officers.

The directives were issued during a meeting attended by the minister for interior, chairman NRB, provincial home secretaries and the district Nazims.

The religious parties also expected a crack down in the days ahead. Leading a protest demonstration that condemned the house arrest of Jamaat-i-Islami leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Sunday, vice-president of the party’s local chapter, Dr Afzal Ezaz, said that the government was planning to arrest front line religious leadership in the next few days.