FAISALABAD, Dec 29: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Punjab President Hafiz Muhammad Idress has said the PML-N leadership has assured the alliance of taking part in the protest demonstrations scheduled to be held across the country from Jan 1.

Speaking at a news conference here on Wednesday, he revealeda black day would be observed on the first day of 2005 against the wearing of two hats by the president. The demonstrations and rallies would be taken out in all big cities.

He said eight places had been selected for this purpose in Faisalabad, adding the peaceful movement would continue till the president took off his uniform. Hafiz Idrees claimed that the top PML-N leaders had already promised to take part in the anti-government protest movement and the heads of other opposition parties would also be called to join the final round.

Dialogues between Indian and Pakistani leaders over important issues, including the Kashmir, would be fruitless because both the sides were befooling their countrymen, he alleged.

The government, according to the MMA leader, had lost its popularity among the masses and this could be judged from the fact that it had announced the next local-body election on a non-party basis. He criticized the government policies, which had increased lawlessness and unemployment in the country.