July 26, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 22, 1429

RAWALPINDI, July 25: The local leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) on Friday warned of agitation against the Punjab government for fabricating false cases against the members of local government.

Speaking at a press conference, City Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas said that the union council nazims associated with PML-Q had been getting anonymous threatening calls for the last one week.

“I have apprised President Pervez Musharraf about the interference of Punjab government in local government affairs and the president has taken notice of the issue,” the city nazim said.

Flanked by PML-Q Rawalpindi president Raja Muhammed Nasir and city naib nazim Afzal Khokhar, Mr Ikhlas warned that his party would launch protest demonstrations against Punjab government in case their party leaders were subjected to vengeance.

“My powers have been snatched and my security squad has been taken back. What would happen to the fate of the district? Why the PML-N cannot digest the existence of local government system?” the city nazim maintained.

“Would you believe that one of our party leaders, Chontra union council nazim, has been implicated in a false case of steeling wood worth just Rs2, 500? How can an elected representative resort to direct theft and that too of just Rs2,500?” he regretted.

“We are left with no option but to give a call for street protest. We would launch our movement soon and would remind the PML-N of unfulfilled pledges it had committed to people.

We would protest the failure of Punjab government regarding price-hike and a sense of deprivation among the people,” the city nazim warned.

The PML-Q members accused Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and local MPAs and MNAs of interfering in the affairs of local government adding that the members were being pressurized to join the PML-N.

Speaking on the occasion, Raja Nasir said that during the PML-Q regime, no rival political worker was victimized and regretted that the agenda of PML-N was nothing but to victimise the supporters and leaders of rival political parties.

“But we are not toothless. We are not weak and we would show our mettle to the rulers. We are all set to launch door-to-door campaign for bringing the people to the streets,” he warned.