RAWALPINDI, April 4: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Rawalpindi chapter on Wednesday brought out a protest rally from Liaquat Bagh to Marir Chowk against long hours of electricity loadshedding, surge in POL and CNG prices.

The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) blocked Benazir Bhutto Road for nearly five hours to ensure safe passage to the rally. The CDGR along with City Traffic Police (CTP) blocked the main road for vehicular movement by erecting barricades on several points, posing immense troubles for commuters and pedestrians.

On many places, ambulances were reported to have stuck in the traffic snarls. Exchange of hot words between motorists and police cops could also be witnesses on some of the points blocking entry of motorists that many alleged was done in a bid to make the protest successful. Tight security arrangements were also made to avert any untoward incident.

Many political observers and residents termed it a "flop show" as PML-N MPAs and MNAs and other stalwarts could only manage to gather around 1,000 people including women and children from the eight tehsils of Rawalpindi district.

More than 1,000 PML-N workers and supporters gathered at BBR in front of Liaquat Bagh. The protesters led by PML-N MNAs Malik Abrar Ahmed, Malik Shakil Awan, Tahira Aurangzeb, Senator Begum Najma Hamid, MPAs Zia Ullah Shah, Malik Ghulam Raza, Shaharyar Riaz, Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, Chaudhry Ayaz, Sarfraz Afzal and Raja Hanif advocate.

Two ladies of PML-N women wing were also wearing garlands piercing garlic, onions, green chilies and dry pieces of 'Roti' symbolizing it has become difficult for common man to buy even daily use items because of price-hike in the country.

Differences among the party's local office bearers and legislators were visible and marred the show. The party's local chapter office bearers even did not allow some MNAs and MPAs to deliver speeches.

An interesting situation developed when MPA Shaukat Bhatti and party's local General Secretary Haji Pervaiz supporters exchanged hot words over the issue of announcing the arrival of an MPA with his supporters.

After a brief row, the workers switched the speakers off. However, some senior leaders managed to bring the temperature down by mediating.

While addressing the gathering, the speakers lashed out at PPP-led federal government for its failure to deliver.

They said the government was busy in plundering national exchequer and it has nothing to do with the miseries of the people who were facing hardships due to power outages and inflation.

They said the recent surge in petroleum products' prices hit the poor people very hard as people were committing suicides due to inflation and unemployment. They urged the federal government to withdrawal its decision failing which the party would broaden its agitation.