Police and paramilitary force were on high alert in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore to frustrate attempt by opposition groups to hold a rally against the publication of blasphemous cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammed, officials and witnesses said.

Several Islamic leaders who had announced to defy the government ban have been detained and their entry banned in Lahore.

Witnesses said police and paramilitary forces have sealed venue of the rally in Lahore and all roads leading to the venue have been blocked and traffic diverted.

Thousands of police and paramilitary force have been deployed around the city center, the venue of the beginning of the rally.

The government of Punjab has banned the rally in view of this month's violent demonstration in Lahore and different parts of the country.

Riots in Lahore and the northwestern city of Peshawar this month left five people dead and Western business centers set on fire.

They are among dozens of people killed during protests in Muslim countries against the cartoons, printed first by a Danish newspaper and later in other mainly European publications.

Pakistani President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have warned the opposition parties not to politicize the cartoon issue.

Source: Xinhua