PESHAWAR, March 20: Members of the city district council staged a protest rally on Thursday to condemn the United States military attack on Iraq.

Over 60 male and female councillors and Nazims, including minority members of the council, took out an anti-US procession from the district council hall which was culminated at the provincial assembly building.

Council Convener Dr Iqbal Khalil and Town-1 Nazim Haroon Bilour led the rally. The protesters chanted slogans against US President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the United Nations. They expressed complete solidarity with the people of Iraq.

Earlier, the council put off its routine business and started discussion over Iraq crisis. The councillors and Nazims termed the US military attack on Iraq an inhumane and barbaric act, and demanded of the government to severe diplomatic relations with the United States and Britain.

They proposed that Pakistan, China, Iran, France and Germany sign a defence pact to thwart the US nefarious designs in the region and other parts of the world.

Some angry councillors in their speeches said the US president was a “blood thirsty”, “world number one terrorist” and a potential threat to the international peace and security.

James Iqbal, a minority member, in his address said the US president had violated the 10 Commandments of Christianity by attacking innocent Iraqi civilians. He said Christian community not only in Pakistan but across the world condemned the US aggression.

Hasnian Gillani said America attacked Iraq to capture its oil resources. He said despite huge resources Muslims were helpless to halt the US aggression. He appealed to people to fulfil their religious responsibilities and provide assistance to the people of Iraq.

He said the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Conference had failed to halt the US aggression. The US antagonistic policies could lead the world to third world war, he added.

City district Nazim Azam Afridi said the government would not place ban on protest rallies in the city. He said the administration would provide security to protesters and it was a basic right of the citizens to stage protest demonstration to express their anger against the unwarranted US aggression.