November 12, 2007	Monday	Ziqa’ad 01, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 11: Police arrested hundreds of Pakistan People’s Party activists on Sunday who gathered at the Allam Iqbal International airport to welcome the party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, on her arrival here.

Official sources confided to Dawn that police deployed on pickets temporarily detained more than 600 PPP workers travelling towards airport. They were detained at different police stations and were later released, the sources added.

However, the city police chief denied that PPP workers were detained.

The police, the sources said, stopped buses and other vehicles carrying airport-bound PPP activists at the pickets set up in Mughalpura, Shalimar, Hurbanspura, Mustafaabad, South Cantonment, North Cantonment and Burki areas, arresting hundreds of them.

Despite the hurdles created by the police, more than 500 party workers reached the airport and welcomed their leader, according to an eyewitness.

PPP Lahore president Haji Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan told Dawn the police set up around 155 pickets in different areas of the city, barring `thousands’ of activists from reaching the airport.

He alleged more than 300 party activists had been picked up by the police during the last two days.

Capital City Police Officer Malik Muhammad Iqbal, denying detentions, said the police took only `preventive’ measures for Ms Bhutto’s security.

“Around 2,000 police officials, who were deployed along the route of Ms Bhutto’s caravan, might have frisked some people at pickets but there was no detention,” he claimed.

The CCPO said more than 6,000 police were deployed in the city in connection with Ms Bhutto’s arrival and conclusion of first round of Raiwind congregation on Sunday.

According to sources, a PPP caravan comprising several buses and wagons carrying more than 1,000 activists was stopped at Bhatta Chowk on Ghazi Road at round 11.30am.

Heavy police deployment was reported in and around the airport and on all roads leading to it within a 10km radius. The roads were barricaded to prevent “unwanted” vehicles from moving towards the airport.

On the Mall, heavily manned police pickets were set up at almost every crossing from Faisal Square to the Cantonment.

Many passengers and their families were also among those barred by police in anti-riot gear blocking the roads to airport hours before the arrival of PPP leader’s flight.

Daily commuters aboard public transport vehicles were also not allowed to travel to their destinations falling in cordoned off area.

The `security measures’ also caused inconvenience for those invited to marriage ceremonies in Cantonment and Defence areas at the time of arrival of Ms Bhutto in Lahore.

“I saw at least 22 buses, carrying participants of different marriage ceremonies, being stopped by police in Defence when Benazir’s caravan was leading towards the area,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity.

Lahorites in different areas also faced suspension of cell phone service for several hours, apparently owing to security measures.

DETAINED: Punjab PPPP deputy secretary information Iqbal Sialvi told Dawn that he had received reports from different constituencies that the police detained around 700 workers on different pickets.

“The arrests were made between 8am and 12pm on Sunday when workers in large numbers were moving towards the airport and the police stopped them and detained them,” he said.

Former Lahore PPP president Aslam Gill said the police rounded up four workers from his constituency from a picket.