LAHORE, Feb 20: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao was prevented from addressing the Supreme Court Bar Association members at the Karachi Shohada Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association here on Monday due to a rift among lawyers.

A group of lawyers led by Abdul Rehman Ansari objected to the visit of the minister to the bar and locked the hall. The lawyers supporting the visit broke the locks and opened the hall after exchange of slogans with them.

The lawyers opposing the visit then pulled down welcome banners in the hall and destroyed the bouquets placed on the stage.

Seeing the situation, the SCBA president decided to shift the venue of meeting to the bar room in the Supreme Court branch registry. Mr.Sherpao was the first politician to address the SCBA members at the bar room.

Speaking at the bar programme, Encounter with Top Politicians, the minister said the government did not want to close religious seminaries because these were providing education and accommodation to a large number of poor people.

He said the protection of fundamental rights and speedy justice were necessary for national development and attracting foreign investment. The federal cabinet had approved a number of laws for speedy justice which would be submitted for approval in the assembly in the near future.

He said that the Balochistan issue was a cause for concern for the government. He said that the government wanted to negotiate with those supporting development in Balochistan but there would be no talks with those involved in sabotage, running of fugitive camps and serving foreign interests.

Referring to bar demands, the minister said that the Capital Development Authority had agreed to allot it a piece of land for the construction of its office in Islamabad. He had also issued instructions to Nadra to issue CNICs and passports to bar members on ownership basis.

Answering question of bar members Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said that he had not left the Pakistan Peoples Party but had been deprived of its membership for demanding election. He said that the former PPP was now registered as PPP Parliamentarians while he was the President of the Pakistan Peoples Party.