HYDERABAD, June 25: Acti-vists of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Muslim Students Federation staged rallies and demonstrations in a number of cities of the province on Wednesday in protest against Lahore High Court’s decision to disqualify Mian Nawaz Sharif for contesting by-polls while the MSF called for province-wide strike and demonstrations on Friday.

The federation announced that black flags would be raised on the rooftops of educational institutions on Friday.

The president of Sindh chapter of MSF, Roshan Ali Baloch, and other leaders said at a news conference at the Hyderabad press club that the disqualification proved beyond doubt that the President’s House continued to be at the centre of conspiracies.

Mr Baloch urged Asif Ali Zardari and leaders of other allied parties to make their policies clear and help expose anti-democratic and anti-Sindh forces.

Disqualification was a crude attempt, which might lead division of the federation but people of Pakistan and democratic forces would foil such attempts, he said.

He said the name of Mian Sharif had become synonymous with solidarity of Pakistan and democracy. “President Musharraf should tender an unconditional apology to nation for violating the Constitution, imposing emergency to safeguard his personal interests, launching military operations in Lal Masjid, tribal areas and Balochistan, detaining Dr Qadeer Khan, Kargill debacle and price hike,” he said.

He said that about 200 workers of Sindh People’s Students Federation had joined the MSF.

Activists of PML-N led by Sultan Shaikh advocate, Malik Shahid and others staged a march in the city against the court decision. The march began from the district council building and terminated at the press club.

Mr Shaikh said that Mr Sharif was the most popular leader of the country and his disqualification was an insult to the people of the country. Mian Sharif did not need any eligibility certificate from anyone, he added.

In Nawabshah, PML-N activists staged a rally and a demonstration outside the press club.

The rally, led by local PML-N leaders, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Malik Nazar Abbas and Fakir Mohammed Advocate started from PML-N House, carrying placards and banners and chanting slogans against President Musharraf and PCO judges. It marched on different roads and main streets of the city before terminating at the press club.

The protesters alleged that Musharraf had once again hatched a conspiracy against democracy but the day was not far when the unconstitutional president and PCO judges would be sent packing and the country would be put back on road to true democracy.They termed the decision ‘unlawful’ and vowed that no power could not force PML-N to budge from its stand on the restoration of deposed judges.

In Badin, PML-N leaders and activists who participated in rallies in the city appealed to PPP government to replace President Musharraf if it wanted true democracy in the country.

Led by Ali Ahmed Jokhio, Dino Chandio and Ibrahim Kamboh, the protesters gathered at Fazil Chowk and after marching on different roads reached Aiwan-i-Sahafat where they staged a sit-in.