MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 26: The activists of Jamaat-i-Islami and some other religious parties shouted vociferous slogans against the US-led attacks on Afghanistan at a rally here on Friday, and demanded of President Musharraf to withdraw support to the “attacks against Muslims.”

“The United States has waged a crusade against the Muslims and, unfortunately, Pakistan’s rulers are supporting her to carry out the genocide of Afghans in the name of curbing so-called terrorism,” Sheikh Aqeelur Rehman, district president of JIAK said, as the anti-US rally turned into a public meeting at the busy Bank Road, suspending traffic for more than an hour.

“Musharraf is playing the role of an informer of the US and Islam declares the death penalty for such people,” he said in his hard-hitting speech, which was applauded by the emotionally-charged participants, holding placards and banners with pro-Taliban and anti-US slogans, “Stop killings of Afghans,” “US the biggest terrorist,” “Down with Musharraf policy,” “Bush- Musharraf nexus - unacceptable.” “We condemn the double standards of the US.”

A leader of the Jamiatul Ulema-i-Islam, Qazi Mahmoodul Hassan Ashraf, accused President Musharraf of committing “betrayal” by siding with the US and asked him to reverse his decision to support the US “which was causing problems for the country.”