ISLAMABAD, May 9: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice- president, Mushahidullah Khan, has said despite government's massive crackdown on the party, the leaders and workers will reach Lahore airport on Tuesday (tomorrow) to receive their leader Shahbaz Sharif.

Speaking at a news conference at the residence of jailed PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi here on Sunday, Mr Khan said the party had chalked out a comprehensive programme to counter the government's move to stop party leaders and activists from reaching Lahore.

He said the party had received information that the Punjab government had directed the transporters not to provide vehicles to the PML-N leaders on Tuesday. However, the party had also finalized alternative arrangements and workers would reach the Lahore airport come what may, he added.

The vice-president claimed that so far the government had arrested about 1,500 PML-N leaders, activists and office-bearers from different parts of the Punjab province.

He said the police had been conducting raids on the residences of prominent leaders and parliamentarians in major cities of the Punjab. The police have also raided the houses of Tehmina Daultana, Sardar Zulfikar Khosa, Khwaja Saad Rafiq and Pervez Malik, he added.