LAHORE, Dec 22: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday took exception to what he said an attempt to give a political colour to the arrest of Asif Ali Zardari and said the government would not spare any violator of the law.

There was no ban on political activities in the province but the government would sternly deal with those found violating the law, he said at a news conference here at the Chief Minister's House.

He said there was no ban on Mr Zardari's visit to the Punjab and he could come here any time. Mr Elahi said the PPP had made an abortive attempt to give a political colour to the arrest of Mr Zardari made as a result of a court decision.

The government did not believe in political victimization. The process of reconciliation on politics related affairs would continue but the government would not allow any political party to take law into its hands, he added.

The chief minister said Mr Zardari was nominated in the Justice Nizam murder case. And his arrest as a result of the cancellation of his bail was a legal responsibility, he said.

He said people were aware of the political stunts of the PPP and that was why the protest call given on the issue of Mr Zardari's arrest had flopped. This indicated that the people of the Punjab had rejected the PPP.

The chief minister said Section 144 was not imposed in Rawalpindi on the occasion of Mr Zardari's arrival. It was already imposed all over the province, he maintained.

Nevertheless, the government had been allowing public meetings subject to the respect of the code of conduct by the political parties and this practice would continue to be followed, he added.

He said some PPP leaders, including Qasim Zia, had met him and he had made it clear that the arrival of Mr Zardari in Rawalpindi should be confined to a public meeting and no attempt be made to take out any procession on the occasion.

He said it was the duty of the leadership to make their workers behave and respect law. The local leaders of the PPP had not given any service to Mr Zardari with their attitude which was that of an "unwise friend."

"Whenever Mr Zardari was released by a court, the PPP termed it the victory of justice. But whenever a court cancels his bail in crime like murder, it attempted to make the decision controversial though hooliganism, protests and attacks on public buildings," he alleged. Replying to a question about the fate of the PPP leaders and workers arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said the law would take its course.