HYDERABAD, Jan 1: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal observed a black day throughout interior of Sindh to protest against the announcement by President Gen Pervez Musharraf that he will continue to hold the army post.

Rallies were staged at district headquarters which were addressed by local leaders of the alliance. The speakers condemned the decision of the president to remain the army chief.

In Hyderabad, the party staged a sit-in at the Hyder Chowk.

Speaking on the occasion, party MNA Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair said now the MMA would not accept Gen Musharraf even as the president. He said Gen Musharraf had insulted the nation by going back on his promise. He said the black day was only the beginning and added that the avalanche of protest would force him to surrender power.

PPP: The People's Party Parliamentarians also observed a black day and held a protest meeting at the Bhurgari House against the decision of the president to keep the army post.

Zahid Ali Bhurgari, Amanullah Siyal, Syed Fayaz Ali Shah, Aftab Ahmad Khanzada and other party leaders told the meeting that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy would not accept what they called the unconstitutional and undemocratic president.

They said if the country was to be saved then a true democracy would have to be restored and the president would have to leave the army and get himself elected as per the Constitution.

They said PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto should be allowed to return.

DADU: MMA activists took out a procession in Dadu and held a demonstration outside the press club.

The black day was also observed in Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, Bhan Saeedabad and Sehwan towns.

THATTA: The MMA procession in Thatta converged at the press club after marching through main thoroughfares of the town.

NAWABSHAH: Activists of the MMA held a protest demonstration outside the Kabir Mosque.

Carrying placards, the protesters raised slogans against Gen Musharraf.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh party leader Rashid Naseem urged the president to go back to barracks. He said Gen Musharraf was working on the dictates of the US.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: District MMA president Mohammad Shabbir Khanzada, general-secretary Abdul Rehman Dangraj and deputy general-secretary Hafeezullah Keerio have criticized the president for not fulfilling his commitment to leave the army by Dec 31.

They were speaking at a press conference here on Saturday.

The MMA leaders wore black armbands after the press conference.

BADIN: MMA leaders hoisted black flags atop buildings of party offices in the district and wore black armbands.

Party activists took out a procession from the Qatar Mosque which after marching on the Quaid-e-Azam Road reached at the Kazia Wah Bridge where they staged a sit-in for two hours.

JACOBABAD: A procession was taken out by MMA workers from the Madressah Qasimul Uloom and the Jamat-i-Islami's office here. The protesters blocked the road at DCO Chowk for one hour.

MIRPURKHAS: The MMA held a demonstration outside the Madina Mosque.

LARKANA: Reacting over President Parvez Musharraf's announcement of not shedding the military uniform, activists of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal took out a procession here on Saturday.