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RAWALPINDI, April 6: The activists of Anjuman Janesaraan-i- Ahl-i-Bait on Sunday took out a rally against the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq.
About 500 participants including men, women and children started the rally at 11 am from Zanabia Imambargah, Mareer Hassan, and reached Committee Chowk where they remained for one and a half hour.
The participants were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the jingoistic policies of the US government. They called for immediate end to what they termed the bloodies war of the 21st century and urged the united nations to pressurise the US administration to retreat from Iraq as soon as possible.
Speaking to the participants of the rally, Mr Tatheer, an activist of the group, said only peace could restore democracy in Iraq. He lamented that though the US had launched a crusade against Islam, the Muslim world was still disunited.
The other speakers maintained that contrary to the pre-war claims of the US that Iraqis would greet their forces with bouquets, the coalition forces met a tough resistance.
Meanwhile, another demonstration was organized by Awaam Dost Mahaz and Labour Party of Pakistan on Monday at Dhoke Hassu Chowk to express their solidarity with the people of Iraq in the wake invasion of their country by the US and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the demonstration, Prof Hamid Hashmi and Jehangir Akhtar, Bashir Inqlabi and Shoaib Bhatti in their speeches condemned the US-UK imperialism for launching aggression against the innocent and poor people of Iraq in utter violation of the United Nations Resolution.
The speakers condemned mayhem of innocent children, women and old people for occupying the poor country like Iraq for the sake of oil and giving access to multinationals to the oil resources of Iraq.
The speakers in their speeches said the progressive forces were duty bound to lay bare the real intentions of the imperialist powers.
OUR STAFF REPORTER ADDS: The Tehrik-i-Akhuwat-i-Islami (TAI) chief, Allama Inayat Ali Shakir, on Sunday asked United Nations to ensure protection of the holy places in Iraq.
Speaking at a party meeting, he said: “Protection of holy places is more important and necessary than our lives.”
He said the Saddam government had failed to give due respect to the holy places in Iraq and now, if these places were abused by allied forces, the present Iraqi government will be responsible for this.
He said toppling of Saddam’s regime was the only solution of present Iraq crises. He said the present government of Iraq had failed owing to its faulty policies.
The TAI chief urged the United Nation to play its role in reconstruction of Iraq and betterment of Iraqi people.
