FAISALABAD, Dec 3: Political and religious parties have flayed the imposition of a ban on holding public meetings and rallies in the city, terming the orders of the DPO unjustified.

These views were expressed in separate statements issued here on Wednesday by leaders and office bearers of the PPP (Parliamentarians), PML-N, Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamaat Ahle Hadith.

They said the police had tried to usurp the rights of the people and described the decision as an attack on freedom of speech which was a legitimate right of the people.

Punjab PPP secretary-general Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan and PPP MPAs Dr Asad Moazzam, Jahanzeb Imtiaz Gill, Faiz Kamoka, Riaz Shahid and Raja Riaz Ahmed said the present regime had adopted a number of policies to victimize politicians of opposition parties during its one year tenure.

Now the police and administrative officials were being used to stop public protest against the government which could be dangerous for the peace, they said.

PML-N MPAs Malik Nawaz and Sheikh Ijaz and city president Khawaja Muhammad Islam said the step had been taken just to stop the mass contact movement announced by the ARD. They vowed to continue their struggle for the restoration of true democracy and revival of the constitution in the country.

Criticizing the police step, JAH regional amir Maulana Yousaf Anwar said the government should rather introduce a free culture of raising voice and speech in the country.

Leaders of the JI and other religious parties said that some bureaucrats were trying to create law and order situation in the country by implementing wrong and anti-people policies.

They demanded that the government should direct the local police high-ups to withdraw orders immediately.

RALLY: Hundreds of people belonging to cross sections of society took out a rally along with a number of the disabled here on Wednesday in connection with the International Day for the Disabled.