April 22, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 04, 1428

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LAHORE, April 21: The Punjab government on Saturday slammed a ban on the Milad-i-Mustafa conference which the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan had planned to hold at the Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday (today).

The reason given by the provincial government is that the conference could not be allowed owing to restriction on gatherings under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

JUP secretary-general Qari Zawwar Bahadur condemned the ban and told reporters at a news conference here on Saturday that the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) had, on an application given on March 27, declined to allow the conference and directed Punjab JUP president Bashir Nizami, who had gone there to secure the permission letter, to approach the home department.

The JUP secretary-general said when Mr Nizami had approached the home department, an additional secretary refused the permission pleading that a conference could not be allowed owing to restrictions on the assembly of four or more people.

He said the JUP had now planned to hold protest rallies across the country on Sunday. In Lahore, the rally would originate from the press club at Shimla Pahari and its participants would march on Egerton Road to reach the Punjab Assembly building where the party leaders would deliver speeches.

He said the ban was unconstitutional because it was discriminatory as the government had recently allowed rallies on The Mall and other places. He was of the view that the rallies allowed had the blessings of the government because they were organised against religious extremism on the standoff at the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa issue. He said if the NGOs could be allowed rallies, the banning of a purely religious gathering to rejoice the birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was not only unconstitutional but also showed the government’s bias against religion itself.

The JUP leader said the Milad-i-Mustafa conference was to be chaired by president Sahibzada Shah Mohammad Ans Noorani and religious scholars, including ‘mashaikh’ from all over the country, had confirmed their participation.