LAHORE, Dec 16: The Punjab government reportedly decided on Tuesday to forestall the MMA-planned movement against the president, directing all field police officers to take “pre-emptive measures” in this regard.

All DIGs, SSPs and SPs have been communicated to take the preventive measures, high-placed official sources informed Dawn here.

They said the orders were issued from Islamabad where Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar and the IGP were staying since Monday.

Consequently, the field police officials were asked through telephones and other means to forestall the movement. One of the suggested steps was to stop the MMA from hiring transport so as to prevent its activists from reaching venues of the rallies,” the sources said.

They claimed that there was a possibility of the banning of the processions. And if it was decided, the ban would be imposed through district Nazims, they said.

The sources said police had also been asked to keep an eye on the movement of MMA leaders and main activists to pre-empt agitation.

The announcement for the beginning of the movement against the president was made by MMA Vice-President Qazi Husain Ahmad in Peshawar on Monday. The movement is being launched with a rally in Multan on Dec 18.

The Qazi said rallies would be held in Dera Ghazi Khan and Sahiwal on Dec 19, in Lahore on Dec 20 and in all districts in the country afterwards. He also hinted at a sit-in in Islamabad and Rawalpindi at a date which was yet to be decided.

The MMA has announced the launch of the “Remove Musharraf campaign” after failing to reach an agreement with the government on the tabling of the proposed constitutional package in the parliament for approval.