0
SUKKUR, Jan 4: Extraordinarily tight security measures were taken for the visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to Sukkur on Tuesday. The Military, Shikarpur, Bunder and New Goth roads were closed four hours before the arrival of the prime minister.
Police also got shops closed and doors of houses in the area covered, causing inconvenience to people. All shops, petrol pumps and restaurants along the Military Road were closed in the morning.
Journalists, including 12 from Karachi brought by the PTCL to cover the ceremony, were locked in the gallery of the auditorium of a school by the PTCL administration.
They remained in the gallery till the departure of Mr Aziz due to which they could not reach the Sukkur Barrage to cover the briefing given to the prime minister. The journalists strongly protested against the incident and complained to Federal Minister Awais Leghari who ordered an inquiry into the matter.
PTCL clarifies news report
KARACHI, Jan 10: Clarifying a news report - 'Most of Sukkur closed for PM's visit' -- (Dawn, Jan 5 issue), the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has said that security arrangements for the auditorium, where the inauguration ceremony of the PTCL WLL service was held, were the responsibility of the special branch of police and other agencies, and not of the PTCL management.
A press release issued by the company said the PTCL management had informed journalists about the seating arrangement made by the special branch in the gallery of the auditorium.
Besides, the Press and Information Department had issued 'inner cordon' passes to journalists indicating the seating arrangement. The press release denied that Federal Minister for Telecommunication Awais Leghari had ordered any inquiry into the matter.
