June 24, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 08, 1428

MULTAN/KHANEWAL, June 23: Multan wore a festive look on Saturday night ahead of the arrival of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the city.

Several political parties, trader bodies and non-government organisations (NGOs) set up their welcome stalls in various parts of the city.

Lawyers, politicians, traders and NGOs hoisted banners carrying welcoming statements for the CJP and anti-government statements at various crossings and on roads.

As cloudy sky turned the weather pleasant, stalls blaring out songs like ‘Toon khaki wardi lahaa sadi farmaish teiy (You should shed your uniform at our request)’ and ‘Chacha wardi lahnda kiun nee (Why don’t you give up your uniform)’ turned many enthusiasts to dance on the rocky tones.

The parties seen active in the welcome drive were: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Pakistan Seraiki Party, Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajaran (Insaf Group), Chamber of Small Traders, District Bar Clerks’ Association, Joint Action Committee for Human Rights, Pakistan Democratic Party, Islami Jamiat Talba, Pakistan Nizam-i-Mustafa and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf.

The crossings where most of the stalls were established were: High Court and Chowk Kumharan Wala.

The Chamber of Small Traders released 300 pigeons at Chowk Kumaharnwala while the PPP arranged fireworks outside the building of the Lahore High Court, Multan bench.

Up to 64 lawyers who arrived on foot from several districts in Multan to welcome the CJP were warmly received by local lawyers. Eleven lawyers arrived from Lodhran, four from Dera Ghazi Khan, eight from Bahawalpur, 20 from Muzaffargarh, 15 from Vehari and eight from Dunyapur.

Muhammad Naveed Rana, High Court Bar Association general secretary, said a 40-foot stage had been set up in the lawn of the high court and 6,000 chairs have been arranged for the participants. The PPP and the PML-N set up their own stages outside the high court.

Khanewal police tried to stop political workers from setting up camps near Lahore Morr to welcome Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

A police team led by Kohna Station House Officer Abdul Karim was warning workers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) against setting up welcome camps in front of the officers’ club when local PPP and PML-N leaders intervened. An exchange of words between police and the workers ensued. However, the workers were allowed to set up welcome camps after talks with District Police Officer Shahid Hanif and District Nazim Sardar Ahmad Yar Hiraj.

Separately, several people were seen waiting for the chief justice on the Khanewal-Multan Road.