22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, May 21: The PML-N parliamentary party in the Punjab Assembly urged the government on Friday to release forthwith all leaders and workers arrested or detained or the party legislators would court arrest during the assembly session, expected to begin on May 26.

Many PML-N leaders and workers were arrested on May 11, the day party chief Mian Shahbaz Sharif came to Pakistan and was deported to Saudi Arabia. Some of them were allowed bail by courts but detained under Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

At a meeting presided over by deputy opposition leader Rana Sanaullah Khan at the assembly secretariat, the participants urged Speaker Afzal Sahi to ensure the presence of the four MPAs in the forthcoming session. Otherwise, not only they would protest during the session but also court arrests, he added.

Rana Sanaullah told a news conference that MPAs Mian Yawar Zaman, Dr Nazir Dogar, Mehr Ishtiaq and Jehanzeb Rao had been put under detention without any justification.

Since the Speaker was the custodian of the house, opposition had decided to meet him and seek the release of their colleagues, he continued. He made it clear that the opposition would not meet the chief minister in this regard.

A delegation of opposition legislators also met the additional home secretary and complained that the detainees were not allowed to meet their visitors or receive food from their homes.

They alleged that the opposition legislators were being forced to change loyalties. However, they believed that no PML-N legislator would join hands with the PML-Q, no matter how great the pressure.

Mr Khan told a reporter that the opposition would use peaceful means to seek the release of the legislators under detention. In case the government did not set them free, the opposition would go for strong protests during the forthcoming session.

And if the protest did not bring the government to terms, opposition MPAs would court arrests to express solidarity with their detained colleagues. Dr Asad Ashraf, Rana Tajammal Husain, Akram Gujjar, Sajjad Haider, Ajasam Sharif were among the delegation members who met the additional home secretary.

MNA Pervaiz Malik was among the participants of the meeting which was held earlier. Opposition leader Qasim Zia could not turn up because of other commitments. However, Samiullah Khan represented him.