LAHORE, Nov 3: Political parties failed to put up an impressive show because of their decision to hold separate rallies to mark Nov 3 as black day.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the second largest party in the National Assembly which is also ruling the Punjab province, staged a rally from Nasser Bagh up to the Lahore High Court building on The Mall in the afternoon while lawyers and activists of some other parties earlier went up to Governor’s House to stage a sit-in there.

The number of participants in the PML-N rally was too small, a few thousands, despite the fact that the high command had directed each party MNA to bring at least two buses full of activists. Each MPA and other party leaders had also been given targets. The party performance in making the show a success was so poor that it annoyed even its patron and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, presently in Dubai for the past few days.

Sources said that Nawaz himself was scheduled to land here and join the protests but seeing the ‘lethargy’ on the part of his party men, he changed the plan. The irritated Sharif reportedly phoned various party leaders and warned them of action if they failed to turn up at the venue.

Sources predicted changes down to district level in the party rank and file as the PML-N patron would start meeting district office-bearers in a couple of weeks to seek a report from them about their inaction towards the black day preparations.

Many of the participants in the black day rally were those who just wanted a photo session. Some were more interested in making their presence felt by their ‘benefactor(s)’ in the party cadres for they would unfold their banners, flags etc., and raise slogans while forcing their way to the podium when the leader who had asked them to attend the event would reach the dais for delivering his/her speech.A majority of the ‘activists’ left the venue before the appearance of the main speakers on the stage.

A couple of processions being led by local MPs, and seen by this reporter, from various city areas to Nasser Bagh also gave a dismal show as far as their size was concerned.

Later, speaking to the participants, party’s provincial president Sirdar Zulfikar Khosa said the PML-N would not take rest until the restoration of all deposed judges.

He said party’s activists were tortured and taken into custody on the eve of each protest and rally but they remained steadfast during the last over eight years.

Lauding the services of Shahbaz Sharif for the province, he said the chief minister took rest only for four hours a day and spent the rest of the time in serving the masses.He said the condition of the province started changing during the last four months since Shahbaz assumed the charge of the provincial chief executive.

MNA Tehmina Daultana recalled Begum Kalsoom Nawaz’s efforts in running the party immediately after military coup in 1999.

Calling for strengthening institutions, she asked President Asif Ali Zardari whether there was presidential system in vogue in the country or the parliamentary one.

She advised the PPP co-chairperson to strengthen the parliament by shedding his certain presidential powers.

She demanded that if judges and judiciary were independent, as claimed by the federal government, the chief justice should be Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Regretting that Zardari ignored the promises made with the nation, MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq said once the PPP was with the PML-N and other democratic forces in their struggle for the restoration of deposed judges.

He said the masses were on roads for the PPP backed out of its promises accepting dictation from the United States.

MNA Hamza Shahbaz claimed they were being asked to take to streets for ousting the PPP government. Without naming the forces calling for the ‘mischief’, he said his party would not cause any damage to democracy by taking the suggestion.Earlier, the Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Labour Party, Khaksar Tehrik and other smaller parties along with lawyers and civil society organisations staged a two-hour sit-in in front of Governor’s House. Speaking to the protesters, JI’s Liaquat Baloch said the movement to nullify the Nov 3, 2007 unconstitutional action was gaining momentum.

PTI's Ahsan Rasheed said that instead of steering the country out of the economic crisis, it was being pushed to the IMF trap. He claimed that if President Zardari, Sharif and other leaders brought their assets back to Pakistan, the people would find a solution to their problems on their own without the help and intervention of foreigners.

JUP's Engineer Saleemullah Khan said the missing persons’ case and restoration of the deposed chief justice were brushed under the carpet on the United States dictates.