Musharraf orders ban on demos, rallies, sit ins

CNews ISLAMABAD: president Pervez Musharraf has directed provincial governments to ban protest demonstrations, rallies and sit-ins to ensure peaceful holding of Jan 2008 General Elections.Chairing a high-level meeting at his Camp Office in Rawalpindi, the President also urged the political parties to do away with confrontational politics and prepare for the elections.Governors and caretaker Chief Ministers of the four provinces also attended the meeting. The meeting discussed preparations being made for the holding of elections and the law and order situation in the country.President Musharraf asked the provincial governments to ensure level playing field for all the political parties. He directed the governors and chief ministers to improve law and order situation for holding the elections peacefully.He also directed the provincial governments to facilitate the foreign observers and media during the elections and also to release political workers, lawyers and civil society activists who are still in jails. Earlier, the governors and chief ministers brief the president on the law and order situation and preparations for the elections in the respective provinces. (Updated at 2135)