May 12, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1428

SIALKOT, May 11: Visitors to various government departments faced disappointment on Friday when they found absent a vast majority of the officials who spent a hectic day out mobilising the masses to join the ‘Istehkam-i-Pakistan’ rally.

The government machinery remained busy in making arrangements for the rally. Teachers, students, paramedics and men and women from all walks of life were convinced, nay reminded of the ‘importance’ of their presence at the rally.

They would mark their attendance at the public-meeting venue.

The traffic police felt no prick of conscience in offloading passengers, including minor children and infants clinging to their mothers, to impound the public transport in Sialkot and Narowal districts.

Left stranded on sun-baked roads, the public lambasted the government for being ‘cruel’ to it.

The local government officials did the job of handing over the vehicles to the union council nazims to transport the PML workers to Islamabad. To the dismay of commuters, three-wheeler drivers charged them at will and loaded their vehicles beyond capacity.

The patwaris enlisted the people of their areas to ensure their participation at the rally.

Leading exporters and businessmen have offered breakfast, lunch and dinner to the participants from Sialkot district. Exporter-turned-politician Mehr Arshad Mahmood promised to provide all possible facilities to the participants.