June 05, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

OKARA, June 4: The midnight crackdown on opposition leaders and workers gave rise to speculations that the beleaguered government of President Musharraf was going to take some major decision by Tuesday morning.

Opposition parties and media persons were at loss to understand the reasons behind the crackdown.

Police arrested district Jamaat-i-Islami Ameer Sheikh Azhar Mehmood in his house and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) activist Rao Muhammad Rafique Sajid in his office on City Church Road.

Police also raided the residences of district PPP President MPA Ashraf Sohna and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Punjab Joint Secretary Mian Muhammad Munir but both escaped. Senior police officials did not explain why the crackdown had been launched even there was no protest plan from the opposition parties or lawyers.

An official seeking anonymity said they had orders from the top to `net trouble-makers.’

ARMY ROLE: The statement issued after the corps commanders meeting in Islamabad the other day is a clear demonstration of army’s interference in county’s affairs and a subsequently a violation of army’s oath.

Jamaat-i-Islami’s Punjab naib ameer Azhar Iqbal Hasan, while addressing a meeting of party workers here in Waris Colony on Sunday, said that army must not cross limits.

He said the nation, after the chief justice’s stand, had clearly showed that it was against the army meddling in civil and political affairs.

He said the Jamaat would launch its mass contact campaign in Okara district from June 11 which would continue till 25th.

ROAD BLOCKADE: People are facing problems due to unjustified barriers placed by the traffic police on the main road leading to the district courts complex up to the intersection of DPS school and the sessions court.

The traffic police have blocked the road in the name of security by placing barriers which caused massive traffic jam.

It is estimated that about 20,000 people come to the courts on hundreds of car and motorcycles. Besides that, more than 2,000 students of schools and colleges also use the road.

They have protested against the closure of road and demanded removal of barriers.

LOCKUP: District and session’s judge Ashraf Bhatti has taken notice of the bad situation of the judicial lockup on the premises of the court of tehsildar.

Judicial magistrate Shahbaz Ahmad visited the lockup and found poor security measures, lack of potable water and ceiling fans. Moreover, the number of people was more than the capacity.

He ordered the authorities concerned to take steps for improving the conditions.