September 12, 2007	Wednesday	Sha'aban 29, 1428

KARACHI, Sept 11: Opposition parties’ attempt to violate Section 144 imposed by the government and hold a protest demonstration at Empress Market on Tuesday was foiled by police and plain-clothes security officers.

A call for the protest demonstration was given by the All Parties Democratic Movement against the arrest of opposition leaders and political activists on the eve of the arrival of APMD chief Nawaz Sharif and his deportation to Saudi Arabia.

APDM leaders arrived at the venue one by one. But as soon as they stepped out of their vehicles making the victory sign to attract the media and public, they were encircled by policemen in uniform and civil dress, who had hours before taken over the entire open area in front of Empress Market.

About half a dozen police vehicles were also parked there to quickly take the agitators to police stations.

The police did not allow public transport vehicles to stop there. Passers-by, seeing a large number of press photographers and police, gathered at the spot, but they were shooed by police.

Groups of workers accompanied their leaders to protect them against police action, but the plain-clothes policemen posing as agitators, broke through the cordon of workers, shoved the activists and leaders into the police vans and drove away.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, Nasrullah Shaji, Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, Mohammad Laeeq, Shaikh Rafique Ahmad, Hameedullah Advocate, Yunus Barai, Basharat Mirza and Yusuf Munir, flashing victory sings, raised slogans against the rulers as they were pushed into police vehicles.

“The government has arrested our hundreds of workers and stopped us from staging a peaceful protest. But these arrests cannot block the path of democracy. The days of rulers are numbered,” Prof Ghafoor was heard as saying.

Some other leaders also spoke as they were being taken away.