LAHORE, April 30: Islamabad is pressing the Dubai authorities not to allow political activities by politicians of Pakistan origin on their territory.

The last such attempt was made after reports that the PPP had held an important meeting with its exiled leader Benazir Bhutto in the chair in the tiny Gulf state last week.

According to PPP sources, the Dubai authorities, after receiving a phone from Islamabad, reportedly contacted Ms Bhutto who denied having organized any such activity there.

She said her party’s leaders had visited her last week to inquire about the health of her mother, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, and offer Fateha for Amir Begum, her stepmother who had died a couple of months ago.

No formal meeting of the party had been held in the Gulf state, the sources quoted her as saying to the Dubai authorities.

Meanwhile, Punjab PPP president Qasim Zia told reporters at a press conference here on Wednesday that the party would hold demonstrations not only against the LFO but also other issues being faced by the masses.

Information secretary Naveed Chaudhry and Lahore chief Mian Misbahur Rahman were also present on the occasion.

If needed, the floor of the Punjab Assembly could also be used to build up pressure against the government on the LFO, Mr Zia said, adding that other political parties would also be consulted before taking any such decision.

Denying any hurdle in the return of Ms Bhutto to the country, he, however, said the date for her return would be decided by the central committee.

Mr Zia said organization of the party was being given top priority and its structure was being completed down to union council level.

He denied that the chief minister had extended him any invitation for a dialogue on running the house in a cordial atmosphere or allocation of development funds to opposition members.

He said if extended, he would accept the invitation after consulting other opposition parties, especially the PML-N, in the provincial assembly.

He, however, said there was no need to hold parleys on allocation of funds to opposition MPAs and the task should be accomplished automatically as the opposition had the same right over the funds as the treasury members had.