June 25, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 20, 1429

GUJRANWALA, June 24: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) activists and lawyers on Tuesday took out protest rallies across Punjab, blocked roads and at some places people attempted self-immolation against a Lahore High Court ruling against Nawaz Sharif, barring him from contesting the by-poll.

In Gujranwala, the district bar association condemned the court ruling and called it a conspiracy by the Presidency. It demanded that Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari dismiss all ‘PCO judges’ and reinstate the deposed judges. Separately, PML-N workers took out a protest rally on GT Road and raised slogans against President Pervez Musharraf and ‘PCO judges’.

In Sargodha, the district bar association observed a strike to register its protest against the court ruling against Sharif. PML-N activists also took out a protest rally and joined the lawyers. However, lawyers refused to take PML-N workers in, saying they did not want political workers to hijack their rallies.

In Okara district, PML-N activists took out three protest rallies to protest the court ruling against Sharif. Hundreds of charged PML-N workers marched through city roads and raised slogans against President Musharraf and the ‘PCO judges’.

At one of these rallies, PML-N activist Rao Attique from Renala Khurd poured kerosene oil on his feet and set himself on fire in protest against the court ruling against his party’s patron. Other workers in the rally extinguished the fire and took Attique to a nearby hospital for treatment.

In Bahawalpur, lawyers and PML-N activists held separate demonstrations against the court decision against Sharif. Separate protest rallies marched through various roads of the city and later culminated at the press club.

In Toba Tek Singh, PML-N activists took out a protest rally and marched through various roads of the city to condemn the court decision. A similar rally was organised in Gojra.

Separately, Toba, Gojra and Kamalia lawyers observed a complete strike against the disqualification of Sharif. They praised Sharif for not appearing in the courts of ‘PCO judges’.

In Sialkot, PML-N Youth Wing activists took out a peaceful rally against the court decision. Similar rallies were taken out in Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur.

Sahiwal’s lawyers also boycotted courts and condemned the court ruling against Sharif.

In Muzaffargarh, PML-N workers took out a protest rally and blocked a road. Led by local PML-N leaders, hundred of workers blocked main Multan-Muzaffargarh road and raised slogans against President Musharraf and ‘PCO judges’.