Police block rally by Nawaz Sharif's wife

Police block rally by Nawaz Sharif's wife
REUTERS

JULY 8: Pakistani police moved to prevent a rally on Saturday that was to be led by the wife of deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, witnesses said.

They said roads leading to the Lahore home of Sharif were barricaded and that people were being stopped from leaving or entering the area.

Despite a ban imposed by the military-led government on public rallies and marches, Sharif's wife Kulsoom had vowed to lead the motorised procession some 500 km (310 miles) over two days from Lahore to the north-western town of Peshawar.

Officials from Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League, said the rally was being held to collect funds for drought victims.

But political sources said the it was a bid to drum uppublic support for the jailed Sharif.

"I will lead the caravan at all costs. Even if they put me under house arrest, the caravan will go on. How will the regime face the world after arresting peaceful party leaders and workers who had no bad intentions?" The News newspaper on Saturday quoted Kulsoom as saying.

Party officials and local media said hundreds of party workers were detained on Friday night as authorities moved to stop the event.

International rights group Amnesty International said in a statement the detentions were "a blatant crackdown on basic human rights".

Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf's government banned political rallies ahead of US President Bill Clinton's visit to Pakistan in March.

Kulsoom has been leading a campaign against Musharraf since he ousted her husband in a coup last October.

Sharif has been given two life jail terms for hijacking and terrorism in connection with an attempt to stop a plane carrying Musharraf from landing in Karachi on the night of the coup.