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PESHAWAR, March 21: Streets echoed with anti-war slogans here on Friday as several thousand protesters, including university students, chanted slogans like “No war for oil”, and “Crush, crush America.”
Small and big rallies were taken out from various mosques across the city after Friday prayers to denounce the “United States invasion of Iraq”. Ulema in Friday sermons condemned the US attack on Iraq and prayed for the restoration of peace.
The rallies remained peaceful and the city district government had deployed riot police at several key points to avert any untoward incident.
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a coalition of religio-political parties, had appealed to the masses to observe strike and stage protest rallies against the US-led war on Baghdad and express solidarity with the people of Iraq.
A big rally was held in Qisa Khwani Bazar which was attended by over 7,000 people, according to organisers. Protesters, carrying anti-war placards and chanting slogans against America and Israel, set on fire effigies of US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Jamaat-i-Islami provincial chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim, Shabir Ahmad Khan, MNA; Qari Faizur Rehman, MNA; Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, MNA; Allama Mohammad Ramzan Tauqir and others, addressing the rally, appealed for unity among Muslims.
The speakers termed US attack on Iraq a war against humanity, and appealed to the Muslim world to help the Iraqi people. They said the US president had started a “crusade” against Muslims across the world, and opined that Iran and Pakistan could be the next target.
They vowed that protest would continue unless the US stop its aggression against Iraq, and urged the people to get united against imperialist forces.
The students of the Islamia College, carrying the effigies of Mr Bush and Mr Blair, peacefully marched on the university campus. Several hundred students of the Khyber Medical College, the University of Peshawar and the Engineering University attended the anti-war rally.
A press release issued by the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) here on Friday said anti-war rallies were held in other parts of the province, including Nowshera, Mardan, Malakand, Temergara, Swat, Chitral, Malakand and Batagram.
TAMERGARA: On the appeal of the MMA, a protest rally was held in Tamergara on Friday, our correspondent adds. Large number of people attended the rally. The protesters urged the government to support the Iraqi government.
MINGORA: Protest demonstrations were held on the second consecutive day on Friday in parts of Swat against the US and its allies, and termed their attack on Iraq as illogical and immoral.
A big procession was taken out from different mosques in Bahrain (upper Swat) and marched through the main bazar. The procession later turned into a public meeting, which was addressed by the leaders.
The speakers condemned the US for its brutal action against the innocent Iraqis, and asked for an immediate end to war. It was feared that the US would take the same action against Pakistan. They said Iraq’s only “crime” was that it was a Muslim country.
A big public meeting was also held at Nishat Chowk, Mingora, which was addressed by the leaders.
They condemned the allied forces for waging a war on Iraq, and added that the anti-Islam forces would meet fatal end. They said the US wanted to become a ruler of the world by using forces against the smaller countries, and added: “It was a heinous crime.”
The speakers said Pakistani people could no longer become spectators and would come on the streets against the Zionist forces. They asked the people to prepare themselves for Jihad (holy war) against the anti-Islam forces.
The people also unanimously adopted resolutions against the Zionists. They demanded a complete ban on sale of the US-made products in the market.
They asked the federal government to close centres of the FBI and stop logistic support to the Americans in Afghanistan. The people marched through various bazars and raised slogans against the US-led forces.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The MMA’s D.I. Khan chapter took out anti-America rally here after Friday prayer congregations.
The rally, led by MMA district president Qari Mohammad Nawaz and PML-Q leader Raja Akhtar Ali, started from Tijarat Ganj mosque and passed through various bazars. Thousands of people, including workers and leaders of various political parties, also participated in anti-American protest rally.
The protesters were carrying placards against US-led attack on Iraq and raising slogans against America and Britain. The leaders in their speeches strongly condemned the America attack on Iraq, and termed it state-terrorism of a big power against a small country.
They extended full support to Iraq and demanded immediate stop to war. Later, the rally peacefully dispersed at Topanwala Chowk.
Meanwhile, students of the Gomal University and the Polytechnic Institute also took out a protest rally against war on Iraq, and strongly condemned the aggressive action of the US against a Muslim state.
They chanted slogans against the US and Britain and warned that aggression against Iraq would result in a disaster for US interests in this part of the world. They also torched effigy of Mr Bush.
ABBOTTABAD: A peaceful protest procession was taken out in Abbottabad after Friday prayers which started from Markazi Jamia Masjid, and after passing from the main city bazar, ended at the main city Chowk.
Office-bearers of various political parties staged protest rally against America and its allied forces’ aggression against Iraq.
