BAHAWALPUR, April 3: Differences between PPP secretary-general Jahangir Badr and Punjab president Qasim Zia surfaced when they separately reached here from Lahore on Friday night along with their supporters.

Qasim Zia went with some supporters of district Nazim Tariq Cheema instead of going to the Ashraf Sugar Mills where he was to speak at a workers' meeting. This infuriated party workers, who had been waiting for Mr Zia for hours at Sutlej bridge. They protested and some of them hit his car at the mills with sugar canes.

Police took city president Shakir Mirza into custody but later released him.

Soon after arrival, Mr Badr held a press conference at the office of a lawyer. He alleged that Tariq Cheema had been trying to quit the party since his election as district Nazim.

He said that the struggle for the restoration of democracy would be continued under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.

Later, Jahangir Badr and Qasim Zia separately proceeded to Larkana along with their supporters from Bahawalpur to attend the death anniversary of the party founder Z.A. Bhutto.