TOBA TEK SINGH, Oct 7: Punjab PPP general secretary Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas has said the process of distribution of party tickets has been halted on Benazir Bhutto’s directives and no ticket had been given to any candidate so far.

Addressing workers outside party’s office on Shorkot Road here on Sunday, he said after the return of PPP chairperson on Oct 18, proposals of party organisations regarding distribution of tickets would be considered afresh and decisions would be announced subsequently.

He directed all aspirants of party tickets to arrange carrying more and more party workers to Karachi to accord what he called a historic welcome to Ms Bhutto.

He warned that turncoats, who enjoyed power during the rule of present regime, would not be allowed to return to the party.

He refuted the allegation of striking a deal with the dictator and said the PPP had announced to not to vote General Musharraf in case he contested the elections without doffing uniform. He said that was why the party boycotted the presidential elections, however the decision to avoid resigning from the assemblies was taken to restrain religious extremists from entering the mainstream politics after witnessing their role in NWFP and Balochistan.

Faisalabad division PPP coordinator MPA Raja Riaz, former Punjab minister Badaruddin Chaudhry, district PPP president Haji Muhammad Ishaq and city president Zulfiqar Ali also spoke on the occasion.