May 05, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1428

GUJRANWALA, May 4: Police arrested about 250 opposition activists, most of them part-time workers or relatives of frontline leaders, on Friday ahead of Saturday’s GT Road reception for the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Despite mass arrests and crackdown on political workers, the District Bar Association (DBA) and other forums of lawyers have made all arrangements to accord a warm welcome to the CJP in Gujranwala.

The crackdown launched early in the morning by the police on workers of political and religious parties, including PPP, PML-Nawaz and MMA, was on till late on Friday.

Though the DBA is the main host, leaders of almost all politico-religious parties are also playing an active role in gathering maximum number of people to welcome the CJP.

DBA President Ilyas Rehan said that lawyers from other neighbouring districts would also arrive in Gujranwala to greet Justice Chaudhry.

He said a stage had been prepared outside the railway station where the chief justice would address lawyers. Later, a caravan of 100 buses and wagons would accompany the CJP to Lahore, he said.

GUJRAT: At least 300 people were arrested on Friday in the outhouses and residences of PPP and PML-N leaders in Gujrat, Lala Musa and Sarai Alamgir.

Police raided the outhouses and residences of MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira, Tehsil Nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira, MPA Tanveer Ashraf Kaira, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Amir Ihsanullah Shah, JI Naib Nazim Irfan Safi in Lala Musa; former MPA Malik Hanif Awan of the PML-N in Sarai Alamgir; former MNAs Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Nawabzada Ghazanfer Gul and Mian Mushtaq Paganwala in Gujrat.

SHEIKHUPURA: Police arrested up to 200 activists of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the MMA in Sheikhupura and Ferozewala to stop them from attending the welcome procession.

The arrested workers included: Sheikh Jamil Ahmed from the MMA, Mian Ijaz Ahmed, Mian Tufail and Nadeem Akbar, all from the PML-N, and Rana Ashraf Jamshaid from the PPP. Police detained them in City A and B divisions and Ferozewala police stations. DBA President Nasrullah Wattoo told a press meeting the arrests were an undemocratic step and the government had lost its credibility among the public.

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: About 40 workers from the opposition parties were arrested in the district and raids were on for more arrests. Among the arrested people were: No 2 Union Council Nazim Ijaz Ahmed Janjua, Mian Amjad, Muhammad Tahir, Zulfiqar Ali and Zafar Iqbal. District police officer Akhtar Abbas ordered the detention of five PML-N activists, including finance secretary Riaz Khokhar and Umar Hayat, for 30 days. They were arrested on May 1 prior to the appearance of the CJP before the Supreme Judicial Council.

SIALKOT: Police arrested about 67 activists of the opposition parties in Sialkot and Narowal districts in a bid to halt them for going to Lahore to attend the CJP reception. Official sources said arrested activists were from the PML-N, PPP and the MMA.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Police released three lawyers arrested on Friday. MMA’s Mian Abdul Basit, JI’s Mian Shoaib Muhammad and PML-N’s Afzal Yaqub were taken into custody on Thursday. On Friday, they were shifted to Chuttiana police station from the city police but later they were released. DBA members observed a strike over the arrest of the three lawyers. In Gojra, lawyers continued hunger strike against the suspension of the CJP.

Pakistan Kissan Committee President Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Coordinator Tariq Mahmood, Punjab National Workers’ Party Secretary Rana Azam and former MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq condemned the arrest of Labour Party Pakistan Secretary General Farooq Tariq.

SARGODHA: Up to five dozen political workers were arrested. Most of PPP and PML-N leaders had already gone underground. They asked workers to travel to Lahore through public transport. Police after receiving reports of workers’ departure to Lahore via public transport started surveillance of bus stands. Every bus to Lahore is being checked by police to bar political workers from reaching Lahore. Private taxis also enhanced their fares. The DBA hired two buses for the Lahore reception and asked the lawyers having their own vehicle to proceed the with DBA caravan.

OKARA: Police arrested PPP activist Muhammad Azam Khan and JI Naib Ameer Ghulam Hussain Dogar. A number of PPP and PML-N activist went underground to avoid police wrath.

KASUR: Pattoki police arrested two JI leaders under registered a case under section 16 MPO against them. Faisal Miana and Sheikh Razaq were chanting anti-government slogans outside Jamia Minar-e-Raza Mosque. Kasur police also raided political figures’ houses to arrest them. Most of the politicians have gone underground.