April 21, 2002	Sunday	Safar 7, 1423

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FAISALABAD, April 20: The entire leadership of the Jamaat-i-Islami and banned Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan (TJP) and members of all their wings have gone into hiding to avoid arrest on the government directive to foil long march against presidential referendum.

The Jamaat amir had announced that a long march would be organized against the government on April 21 from Lahore and directed the party workers and leaders to reach Lahore. The Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan, banned by the present military regime, had assured full cooperation to the Jamaat in its protest movement against the government.

District Jamaat amir Sardar Zafar Husain, city amir Mahboobuz Zaman Butt and over a dozen other local leaders have already been booked by Kotwali police on charge of making provocative speeches against the government during a rally.

Sources told Dawn that arrests of the Jamaat and the TJP workers would be made early on Sunday morning for which lists were being finalized by the special teams of police and other law enforcement agencies.

There was no leader available in the Jamaat’s main office in Chiniot Bazaar for comments. However, some plainclothesmen were seen roaming around the offices to monitor the activities of its leaders.

LAWYERS’ RALLY: Local lawyers took out a procession to express their solidarity with President Gen Pervez Musharraf and to appreciate the government decision to set up a bench of the High Court in Faisalabad.

The procession, led by District Bar Association president Rafiq Batalavi, marched on various city roads. The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of Gen Musharraf.

The Faisalabad District Bar Association was the only Bar of the country which appreciated the government polices despite the fact that the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the Punjab Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association had opposed the government policies, especially presidential referendum. The acceptance of the demand to set up a bench in Faisalabad is the main reason of favouring the policies by the Faisalabad DBA.

RELEASE: The federal government has reportedly postponed the proposal to release