11 April 2005	Monday	01 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LAHORE, April 10: The Punjab government is reported to have told the provincial leadership of the PPP that rallies to welcome Asif Zardari on April 16 will not be allowed. President of the PPP Punjab, Qasim Zia, said on Sunday that he had received a phone call from a police official telling him that the government would not allow any rally to receive Mr Zardari.

However, Mr Zia said, his party was busy organizing a ‘peaceful reception’ for Mr Zardari. “Let me make it clear that anybody who would try to create hurdles would be responsible for any consequences.”

The PPP leader said the party had planned a reception for Mr Zardari, who would be taken to the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) in a convoy. “It is a political process. It is our right and nobody can stop us from doing it.”

However, a Punjab government official claimed that no decision to ban rallies had so far been announced officially. “I myself was in a meeting today presided over by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi. There was no such decision,” he claimed.

But a senior Punjab police official confirmed the decision, saying the PPP leadership had been informed about it.

Meanwhile, party sources said here on Sunday that the party had formulated a new plan about Asif Ali Zardari’s reception on April 16, adds PPI.

In case Punjab did not allow workers to enter the city on that day or disagreed with the party to adopt route already declared, then alternative steps would be taken, sources added.