RAWALPINDI, March 28: Around 25 participants at a public rally, addressed by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, on Tuesday in Rawalpindi, lost their cell phones when the rally was over and the crowd was leaving the Liaquat Bagh premises.

Most of the victims were security personnel who were attending the rally in plain clothes.

Taking cell phones, pens or even water bottles inside the premises was not allowed, due to security reasons. Therefore, all cell phones were taken by the management and put in three separate bags. The cell phone owners were given receipts and asked to collect their phones by showing the receipts on their way out.

When the participants went to collect their cell phones from the relevant person —niab tehsildar, Mr Munir— they were shocked to learn that the bag containing the cell phones had been stolen.