April 17, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 16: The federal government has made prior permission mandatory for holding rallies and public meetings.

“The decision has been taken to minimise chances of terrorism in the country,” Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah told Dawn.

He said the government had not banned public meetings and rallies but it wanted to regulate them and ensure that they were conducted in a proper manner.

He said the decision to regulate such events had been taken at a late-night meeting on security issues.

He said the federal government had directed the provincial governments to regulate all public meetings and rallies which should be held only at specified places. The official said the provincial governments and the administration of Islamabad had been directed to designate places where political and non-political groups could hold rallies and public meetings.