November 11, 2007	Sunday	Shawwal 29, 1428

PESHAWAR, Nov 10: The Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday claimed that the Punjab government had hired retired army personnel in order to sabotage its ‘long march’, scheduled for Tuesday.

Addressing a news conference here at the press club, PPP’s provincial president Rahimdad Khan said the Chaudharys of Gujrat had opted for ‘political suicide’ by promoting the new phenomenon of armed gangs in politics. He warned that such tactics might harm the country’s integrity.

When Mr Khan and other PPP leaders arrived at the club, two police officials tried to stop them from making speeches there. Journalists, however, asked the two to leave the club immediately.

Later, the police surrounded the club’s building and arrested seven PPP leaders, including Rahimdad Khan, when they were leaving the premises. Fareed Toofan, Arbab Alamgir, Behramand Tangi, Ashfaque Khalil, Noor Alam, Israr Khan and Fakhr-i-Alam were also arrested.

During the press conference, Mr Khan condemned what he called state-sponsored violence against PPP workers. He said the military rulers and their political minions had resorted to use of brute force against the people.

He asked the security agencies not to become a party against the PPP in its struggle against military dictators. He said: “Governments come and go, but political forces are here to stay.”

Advising the police and other security agencies to understand that they were part of the larger society, he said they should refrain from unleashing barbarism against political workers.

Praising the courage and commitment of the PPP workers, he said his party would never disappoint the genuine democratic forces struggling against military rule. He said PPP’s main objective was restoration of the 1973 Constitution and reinstatement of the deposed judges.

He said Gen Pervez Musharraf had hoodwinked the entire world in the name of the so-called war on terrorism, but he stood exposed on Nov 3.

He said PPP would continue its struggle till the generals returned to their barracks and civilian rule was restored in the country. He said the PPP would support all democratic forces, fighting against one-man rule.

He said the PPP had invited all political parties to join its march against the rulers on Tuesday in Lahore.

Condemning ordinances targeting print and electronic media, he said it was impossible for military rulers and their civilian allies to gag the flow of information in media in the age of info-explosion.

Expressing solidarity with journalists, he said PPP would continue to support journalists and the legal fraternity in their just struggle for the freedom of press and independence of judiciary.