14 February 2004	Saturday	22 Zilhaj 1424

VEHARI, Feb 13: The district organization of ARD started anti-government movement here on Friday. The main components of the ARD, the PPP and the PML-N, took out protest processions in Vehari, Burewala and Mailsi.

The protesters raised slogans against the president and the government policies.

Later, the protesters set up hunger strike camp in front of Vehari TMA offices where ARD leaders Rao Sajid and Shafiq Bhatti said their protest would continue till Feb 20.

They claimed that the ARD was forced to launch a protest drive due to illegal actions, political victimization, failed economic policies, deteriorating law and order and threat to the country's assets and integrity under the military regime. Heavy police contingents patrolled the city roads on the occasion.

TOBA TEK SINGH: The PPP organized a protest camp outside its city office on the Shorkot Road as a part of its week-long protest against the government's nuclear and Kashmir policies.

Those who attended the camp included former MNA Haji Ishaq, former MPA Mian Rafiq, city president Zulfiqar Ali and other local office-bearers of the party.

SIALKOT: The ARD launched its anti-government protest drive by setting up a camp at Allama Iqbal Chowk here on Friday.

PML-N's MNA Khwaja Asif, MPA Imran Ashraf, district president Idrees Ahmad Bajwa, PPPP's MPA Malik Tahir Akhtar, district president Malik Naseer Awan and a large number of workers attended the camp. Speaking on the occasion, they strongly criticized the government for disgracing nuclear scientists in the name of debriefing.

OKARA: The PPP started a week-long camp in front of the residence of MPA Ashraf Khan Sohna on Ravi Road against the government policies on nuclear and Kashmir issues.

The camp was largely attended by the party workers who raised slogans against the government.

BAHAWALPUR: The ARD's Bahawalpur chapter launched a seven-day protest against the government by setting up a camp at Fowara Chowk on Friday.

The protest camp, bedecked with banners inscribed with slogans against the anti-people policies of the government, dishonouring nuclear scientists, restoration of 1973 constitution, price hike, unemployment, poverty, demanding release of Asif Zardari and Javed Hashmi and return of former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, began at 10am and continued up to 3pm.

District PML-N president Mumtaz Jajja, former MNA Aqeelur Rehman, former MPA Samiullah Chaudhry, MPAs Malik Iqbal Channar, Begum Parveen Masood Bhatti, district PPP president Mr Riaz, city president Shair Mirza, and a large number of workers of both the PML-N and PPP attended the camp. The protest camp will be organized daily till Feb 20.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: The People's Youth Organization set up a protest camp at Seraiki Chowk here on Friday in connection with the PPP's country-wide protest against the humiliation of nuclear scientists and change in Kashmir policy by the government.

The camp was attended by the PML-N and the PPP workers and leaders. Dera District Bar Association general secretary Ehsan Karim Mirani also attended the camp.

SHEIKHUPURA: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) launched its protest week here to express solidarity with the nuclear scientists on Friday.

The component parties of ARD, the PML-N and the PPP, took out rally in the city and later set up a protest camp on Sargodha Road. Former MPA of PML-N Javed Latif deplored maltreatment of scientists by the government.

He said the rulers have damaged the integrity and solidarity of the country. He said Dr Qadeer Khan has been made a scapegoat. PPP MNA Nelum Husnain claimed that the rulers were involved in proliferation and not Dr Khan. She demanded the release of Asif Zardari and Javed Hashmi and return of Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mr Nawaz Sharif.

SAHIWAL: A peaceful campaign has been launched by the ARD for removal of the president, Gen Pervez Musharraf, through establishment of protest camps.

Former National Assembly speaker Yousaf Raza Gilani addressed a protest camp under the aegis of ARD on a city street on Friday. He said the MMA leadership had proved to be a team of the rulers in solving the issue of LFO.

On coming to power, the ARD would get rid of all the amendments introduced by the unconstitutional president, he said, promising a decisive round of the struggle against the government at the ARD meeting in Sahiwal on March 7.

Talking to newsmen at the residence of Shaheed Ahmed Poswal later on, the former speaker observed that the founder of nuclear device, the late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was murdered but the scientist, Abdul Qadeer, pardoned to please the American leadership. The nation has not been apprised or taken into confidence on the issue of scientists because of the conspiracy being hatched for rolling back the nuclear programme, he said.

Also present at the camp were PML-N president Malik Nadeem Kamran, PPP president Mehr Ghulam Farid Katia, PPP women wing president Khurshid and around 10 workers of the ARD. They wore black bands on their arms.

SARGODHA: The ARD component parties organized a protest camp on the call given by the central leadership of the alliance in front of the TMA offices on Friday.

Former information minister Khalid Kharal of the PPP also attended the protest camp. Speaking on the occasion, he claimed that Gen Pervez Musharaf has become a security risk as he has put at stake all the interests of the country. He called for his removal from both the offices of president and army chief.

He warned that if the general did not quit voluntarily, the day was not far when the people would remove him.

Besides others, MNA Tasnim Qureshi, MPA Dr Nadia Aziz, Haji Farooq Hasan, Rana Hakim Khan, Syed Saqlain Shirazi and other local leaders and workers of the PPP attended the camp and pledged to continue their struggle for the revival of true democracy.