ISLAMABAD, March 10: Students of Quaid-i-Azam University on Monday staged a protest demonstration on the varsity’s premises against the possible US attack on Iraq.

They were chanting slogans against the US policies and were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans calling for peace and condemning the US imperialist designs and the UN role.

“Down with the US”, “We want peace but not at the cost of innocent Iraqi people”, “No Bush no Blair”, “Hey Bush don’t start world war-III”, “No blood for oil”, read some of the banners.

The student leaders called upon the government to vote against the US resolution, seeking permission to attack Iraq, in the United Nations Security Council.

They also criticized President Gen Musharraf for his support to the American government, which, they said, had been on the rampage since September 11. They said western powers led by the US wanted to change the map of Middle East for their vested interests, but it was not easy.

“Pakistan can be the next target, as the US has been working on a well-thought out strategy to target Muslim countries but unfortunately the government seems oblivious to this fact”, said a student leader.

He said the students, being future of the country, must express their sentiments over such issues. However, he expressed concern over the apathy of the students towards the issue.

A girl student said Pakistan was a nuclear power and needed to behave like respected nations, however,”in ours case it seems that it is acting like a stooge of America”.

She added that “We, as a nation, have lost our self-respect chiefly due to poor performance of the leadership.” She said it were the students, who could force leaders of the county to follow the right course of action.