December 31, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 20, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 30: The Punjab government said on Sunday that from now on it would deal sternly with arsonists among those protesting against the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto after three-day waiver, terming the immediate public reaction to the tragic incident ‘natural’.

It also decided to keep all educational institutions closed till Jan 3. All government offices will, however, start functioning from Monday (today) after a three-day closure.

“We have allowed people to give vent to their sentiment for three days but from now on no one will be allowed to disturb law and order,” Caretaker Chief Minister Justice Ejaz Nisar (retired) told a news conference here at his secretariat.

Prior to the news conference, he presided over a meeting to review law and order.

He told reporters that he inspected the map of the place where Ms Bhutto was assassinated and it revealed that she was near the Murree Road, away from the Liaquat Bagh where she had earlier addressed a public meeting. The killers struck after she “unexpectedly” emerged out of her jeep’s sunroof to greet workers,” he said.

The chief minister said the educational institutions would remain close till Jan 3 because of the non-availability of public transport and fuel. By then, the situation would improve, he hoped.

He said that he wanted to give a clear message to people that from now onwards those found involved in damaging public or private property and banners of election candidates would be dealt with sternly.

The chief minister said the government allowed mourners to offer symbolic funeral prayers and hold soyem ceremonies but no one would now be allowed to create law and order situation.

He said shops and petrol pumps had gradually started opening in the province. But the government, he said, had begun taking steps to ensure provision of items of daily use and fuel to people. “We have decided to provide full protection to shopkeepers and petrol pumps,” he added.

The chief minister said the supply of fuel, especially diesel, was already short from Karachi even before the assassination of Ms Bhutto. Now the government had called a meeting of railways authorities offering them full protection for continuing the supply to Punjab.

Earlier, he said a high-level police investigation team had started working on the probe but the Lahore High Court had as yet not nominated a judge for the judicial inquiry into the assassination. “Everything depends on the judicial inquiry,” he added.

He said the police team had started recording statements of witnesses and made a map of the site.

Replying to questions, the chief minister said like always the government had made security arrangements for Ms Bhutto’ public meeting at Liaquat Bagh in consultation with the party leadership. The meeting went on smoothly and it proved that `foolproof’ security had been provided there, he said. That police personnel too had been killed and injured in the attack also proved that Ms Bhutto was given security, he argued.

“Unfortunately, she emerged out of the sunroof of her jeep beyond the expectation of anyone,” the chief minister said, adding the inquiry reports would be made public.

He said the government was providing full protocol security to all former prime ministers and chief ministers. Mr Nawaz Sharif had been given security even more than his entitlement as the former prime minister, he added.

He said some cases had been registered for the destruction of property in Punjab but there was no estimate of the total loss. The loss had not been much, he claimed.

He hoped that the supply of wheat flour and other items of daily use would improve on Monday. “We have not taken action against any profiteer during the last three days but from onwards they would be taken to task,” he said.

He said the decision whether the elections would be postponed or not would be taken either by the federal government or the Election Commission of Pakistan. The rangers would remain deployed in Punjab till they were required, he said.