March 16, 2007	Friday	Safar 26, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, March 15: A number of opposition leaders were arrested in different parts of the country, including Rawalpindi and Islamabad, on Thursday night to ensure that they do not demonstrate at or near the Supreme Court building during the second hearing of the reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry by the Supreme Judicial Council, sources told Dawn.

The government banned the entry into the capital of Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed. He was said to be in Mardan and planned to come to Islamabad on Friday to lead Friday prayers outside the apex court building. Sources said he also might be detained.

The midnight swoop begun in Islamabad with the arrest of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidery from the Parliament Lodges.

People’s Party Parliamentarians information secretary Sherry Rehman said some of its leaders had been detained.

An official said that frontline leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) were being followed by security agencies. He said PLM-N leaders, including its chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Khawaja Saad Rafique, would be rounded up.

He said efforts were also being made to place chief of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan under house arrest.

Sources in opposition parties said that following the mid-night crackdown, most of their leaders and workers had gone underground to avoid arrest.

A total of 50 activists of opposition parties and MMA leader Hanif Abbasi MNA were rounded in the operation.

Police sources confirmed the detention of Mr Abbasi and two Uion Council Nazims and said a hunt was under way for another local MNA, Mian Mohammad Aslam of the MMA.

Mr Hanif Abbasi was picked up from his residence and shifted to the New Town police station.

In Islamabad, police rounded up more than 20 political activists including a leader of Jamaat-i-Islami identified as Kashif.Over a dozen activists of opposition parties were apprehended in Gujar Khan, a Tehsil of Rawalpindi.

Our Lahore Bureau adds: Police on Thursday detained more than 40 lawyers and political activists belonging to opposition parties to thwart Friday’s protest against the suspension of Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Opposition parties and lawyer bodies had announced a joint protest on Friday (today) when the Supreme Judicial Council takes up the reference against Justice Iftikhar.

Those arrested are: Lahore High Court Bar Association president Ahsan Bhonn, Pakistan Bar Council member Kazim Khan, Lahore Bar president Syed Mohammad Shah.

Political activists belonged to the PML-N, PPP and the MMA.