ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The government has decided to deal with leaders and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party ‘with an iron hand’ if they defied a ban on public meetings and tried to gather at Liaquat Bagh on Friday.

“We have not permitted the PPP to hold a public meeting at Liaquat Bagh due to security concerns,” Interior Ministry spokesman Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema told Dawn.

He said the government had information that suicide attacks could take place in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday, especially at Liaquat Bagh.

The spokesman said the PPP leadership had been advised not to hold the meeting for reasons of security.

Asked what the government would do if the PPP workers came out on streets, the official said a clash might take place.