November 21, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 10, 1428

FAISALABAD, Nov 20: The Punjab government detained six former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs) for one month dubbing them a threat to ‘public order’. On Monday, a local court had granted them bail but the District Jail authorities did not release them. Police, however, released former PML-N MPA Nawaz Malik from the District Jail.

These included: Rana Aftab Ahmed, Raja Riaz, Dr Asad Moazzam, Faizullah Kamoka, Jehanzeb Imtiaz Gill and Hassan Murtaza. Police arrested them on Nov 14 and 15 when they were trying to join their party’s long march against the imposition of emergency.

Judicial Magistrate Kazim Awan granted them bail on Monday and ordered their release. But the jail and government officials informed the Home Department about the court’s orders.

They were booked by Ghulam Mohammadabad and People’s Colony police stations under section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order.

Police also took PPP Punjab President Shah Mahmood Qureshi and scores of party workers into custody at the divisional office on same charges. However, most of the workers were released instead of Shah Mahmood and these six former MPAs.

Sources said the authorities fearing agitation detained them for one month, however, their detention period could be curtailed anytime.

Also, District Bar Association President Tanvir Randhawa, former president Saleem Jehangir, Talib Hussain, Changez Kakar and other lawyers were also released from different prisons of the province.

The DBA will welcome the released lawyers on Wednesday (today) on the district courts premises and will take them to Quaid-i-Azam Hall.