NOWSHERA, Nov 3: The Punjab government on Friday imposed a ban on the entry of Maulana Samiul Haq, chairman of the Pakistan-Afghan Defence Council.

Maulana Samiul Haq, who also heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema Islam, was informed of the decision of the Punjab government taken on the directions of the federal government, by high-ranking police officers after Friday prayers at his residence at Akora Khattak.

The Maulana had planned to hold protest demonstrations and public meetings at different towns of the province including Jhelum, Serai Alamgir, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Lahore and Chakwal next week.

Taking strong exception to the decision of the Punjab government, Maulana Samiul Haq said that arrests and bans could not stop the movement launched against the US aggression on the innocent Muslims of Afghanistan. He said that they had already conveyed their programme to the masses.

He said that the nation was well aware that the country was passing through the most critical stage of its history. He urged the party workers in Punjab to hold demonstrations.