LAHORE, April 9: Elaborate arrangements had been made for the president’s public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan, with main stress on security and creating a buffer zone between the stage and the masses.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf reached the venue amidst extraordinary tight security at 5:40pm and was garlanded and welcomed by Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool, federal Information Minister Nisar Memon, provincial ministers, Punjab chief secretary and other high civil and army officers.

On reaching the stage he waved to the people and raised his fists in the air. He also saluted the people.

Balloons were released in the air and PML former MNA Tariq Aziz, who was the compere, raised slogans which were responded by the people.

Governor Khalid Maqbool and Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood also raised slogans in favour of Pakistan and the president after their speeches.

They sat beside the president on the rostrum while the chairs in the back row were occupied by three tehsil Nazimeen of Lahore and district Nazimeen of Sheikhupura and Kasur. Tehsil Nazim Aftab Asghar Dar of the PML(N) was not present on the occasion.

The governor rushed to the Punjab IGP after sensing some disturbance. Soon plainclothesmen rounded two youngsters who were reportedly creating disturbance.

A middle-aged woman was taken into custody by police when she tried to break the cordon and climb the stage. She was taken away by police who said she wanted to inform the president about the excesses of her husband.

People, mostly government employees and officials of police and agencies braved scorching heat for several hours, waiting for the arrival of the president.

Metal detector gates were installed at the entrances for the common people who had to make queues. This delayed their entry into the parks and many slipped away.

Between the people and the president were enclosures for journalists, ministers and the government officers. Personnel from police, army and Rangers in plain clothes filled the vacant space in between and formed a security line in front of all the enclosures.

An officer pulled out his gun when newsmen tried to leave the venue after the departure of the president through the passage leading to the stage.

Army soldiers were deployed at the railing dividing the Minar-i-Pakistan and the adjacent Iqbal Parks.

Banners inscribed with slogans in favour of the president and his referendum and the names of the leaders of various political parties and district Nazimeen hung all over the place apparently to show their presence.

A police band played national songs. Songs sung by Noor Jahan during 1965 war were also played.

Journalists could not assess the number of people as they were seated in one of the lawns below the stage. Their view was also blocked by police in uniform and in plain clothes who stood between them and the people.

Tariq Aziz took the microphone at 3:40pm whereas people had started gathering at the venue much before 2pm.

Elsewhere in the city, routine business continued. But attendance in the Civil Secretariat and other government offices remained thin reportedly because of the ‘public meeting duty.’

Many people who had come to Lahore to attend the meeting, roamed about the city.

People listened to the president with patience braving scorching heat for hours before his arrival. Among them were a large number of women, some of them also carrying their children.

It was for the first time for police to control a major event independent of district administration since the abolition of the offices of commissioners, deputy commissioner and the executive magistracy.

A group of SSG commandos took positions with their guns around the stage. Police officers too carried their guns and constables their anti-riot gears. — Intikhab Hanif