HYDERABAD, July 7: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s public meeting at the Pucca Qilla ground has been postponed due to security-related concerns. However, deputy convener of the MQM coordination committee told journalists that the meeting was postponed for some “unavoidable reasons”. He said now it would be held on July 17 at a new venue as requested by the prime minister secretariat.

“We did not make it a point of ego if the venue is to be changed”, he said. He said the prime minister had postponed his entire July 8 schedule for Hyderabad.

“The commitment of the prime minister to attend the public meeting remained unaffected”, he said.

A special security officer from Islamabad along with DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, DPO Ali Ahmed Junejo and additional SP headquarters Parvez Chandio had visited the Pucca Qilla ground on Wednesday and asked for detailed search in and around the public meeting’s venue.

He was visibly dissatisfied after seeing the venue, located in densely-populated area of the fort.

The prime minister’s security has been tightened following a suicide attack on his life in Fateh Jhang when he had contested elections from Attock.

The security official was also surprised to hear from joint in-charge Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s coordination committee Abdul Haseeb that the prime minister would address the public meeting after Maghrib prayers.

“To me it is throughout a daylight activity”, he was heard telling the MQM leader.

He said the prime minister was supposed to leave the venue before Maghrib prayers after addressing it.

The MQM leader told him that pamphlets had been printed and banners had been prepared, requiring people to reach the venue at 4pm.

He said by Maghrib prayers the people would gather in large number and proceedings of the meeting would begin.

The security official was also not satisfied with the kind of wooden stage that was being prepared by MQM workers.

He told the MQM leaders plainly that not more than nine people would be allowed on the stage while the MQM had planned to accommodate around 25 to 30 officials including Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, federal and provincial ministers and MQM central leadership.

The official wanted the 40x30 stage to be completely covered from all sides which was apparently not possible given the fact that programme was to begin late in the evening.

He insisted that some other route should be arranged for the prime minister’s arrival and departure in the venue which again was not possible because other routes leading to the ground were quite congested.

The official had also told the MQM leaders that all people would be searched by police before entering the venue of the public meeting.