LAHORE, March 24: Rejecting the proposed referendum, the Punjab PPP chief has criticized the government for observing double standards in allowing political parties hold rallies on March 23.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Qasim Zia regretted that the Jamaat-i-Islami was permitted to organize its public meeting in Rawalpindi while the ARD was refused the same.

Provincial information secretary Naveed Chaudhry and Lahore president Mian Misbahur Rahman were also present on the occasion.

Terming court arrests by workers a welcome step in the current scenario, he demanded the government to release all the workers lodged in various lock-ups of the province under ‘false’ charges.

Demanding the government to transfer the rule to public representatives, Mr Zia said elections and not the referendum were a solution to the country’s problems. He said the elements who had been demanding restoration of assemblies were now supporting the referendum proposal.

He said the PPP would celebrate Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s anniversary in a big way on April 4 as workers from across the country would assemble at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on the day.

He also condemned the levy of general sales tax on medicines.

ARD deputy secretary information and central PPP leader Munir Ahmad Khan said, at a separate press conference, that barring the alliance from organizing a public meeting at Mochi Gate showed that the government was not sincere in holding transparent and fair polls.

He claimed the government had arrested more than 2,500 workers from across the province during the last two days, besides taking into custody the central leadership of the ARD and the PPP.

He said the proposal of a referendum and restrictions on ARD’s meeting proved that the government had realized it was fast losing popularity among the masses.

Mr Khan said the government did not feel any threat from the rallies of Qazi Husain Ahmad, Imran Khan, Farooq Leghari, Tahirul Qadri and the PML-QA, however, it was afraid of the power of the ARD and the PPP.

Saying a movement against the government had been started from March 23, he claimed the ‘successful’ protest at the Mochi Gate and the arrest of PPP leadership proved that the masses would reject the idea of referendum.