MULTAN, Oct 9: The Punjab government has issued a show-cause notice to District Nazim Riaz Husain Qureshi seeking explanation "under which circumstances you permitted an outlawed sectarian organization to hold a public meeting."

The notice was being expected after Thursday's car bomb blast in Rasheedabad that claimed 39 lives and left scores of others injured when they were dispersing after attending the first death anniversary of Sunni leader Maulana Azam Tariq.

The Maulana was the chief of defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan. Later, when the organization was renamed Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan after a ban by the government, he became its head. He was assassinated on Oct 6 last.

When contacted, Mr Qureshi confirmed that he had received the notice. He said he and Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood had discussed the matter on telephone as the latter had also been served with the notice for same reason.

He said he granted the permission to hold the public meeting to a non-political organization 'Ahle Sunnat waal Jamaat', that too, after consulting the district peace committee which had representation of all the sects. He said the meeting was held peacefully and the bomb was exploded when the people were leaving.

He denied that he had ever received any direction either from the federal or the provincial government not to allow certain organizations to meet. Meanwhile, in a peace committee meeting on Saturday, the nazim underlined the need to form full-time anti-terrorism body at the federal level to face the challenge of terrorism.

He appreciated the role of religious leaders, DCO Ijaz Chaudhry and DPO Sikander Hayat for their efforts to maintain law and order in the city after the tragedy.

CASE REGISTERED: The Kotwali police registered a case on the report of SSP leader Anwar Shah against an unidentified militant organization of the Shia sect for the blast.

The complainant, however, neither named any particular organization nor a person for being involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, the police have also issued sketches of the alleged culprits involved in the tragedy. Police sources said the sketches were prepared on the information given by Zeshan. The car used in the blast was snatched by some armed people from Zeshan in the New Multan area few days ago.

Zeshan had lodged the report with the police concerned. Police suspected that the car-snatchers would be involved in the blast.

INJURED DISCHARGED: Of the 73 injured at the Nishtar Hospital, 25 have been discharged by Saturday evening while condition of the two of the remaining is still critical.