January 26, 2008	Saturday	Muharram 16, 1429

LAHORE, Jan 25: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activists staged a demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club on Friday to protest price hike, loadshedding, unavailability of flour and deteriorating security situation in the country.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters were raising slogans against the government for its failure to ensure smooth supply of flour and power.

Led by Saad Rafiq, Mian Marghoob, Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman, Bilal Yaseen, Malik Riaz and Khwaja Imran Nazir, some of the demonstrators were also holding Chapattis. A heavy contingent of police was deployed to avert any untoward incident.

PML-N central leadership had given the call for holding a protest demonstration every Friday against the government’s policies to mobilise the masses and this was second consecutive protest in the provincial metropolis. The first ‘show’ of the series held outside Nasser Bagh last Friday (Jan 18).

Speaking on the occasion, Rafiq, Marghoob and others said people would have to come out on the roads against “anti-poor” policies of the government.

They urged the people to ensure casting their vote on Feb 18 to show their resentment against the rulers and to prove that they wanted a real change in the country. They said that the days of the Musharraf regime had been numbered.

“It is high time that the nation must stand up against the rulers’ rigging plans, price-hike and lawlessness to save the country from the clutches of anti-state elements,” Rafiq said.

He alleged that the rulers had failed to ensure the protection of life and property of the people.

He sought support of the masses for the PML-N to bring a revolution in the country and to make Pakistan an Asian tiger.

The PML-N leaders also demanded accountability of the former rulers who did nothing for the welfare of the masses except making tall claims.