ISLAMABAD, May 22: A largely attended anti-US convention on Sunday announced a series of protest demonstrations in the country and across world after observing the May 27 international protest day against the desecration of the Holy Quran by American interrogators in the Guantanamo Bay prison. The convention organized by the Islamabad chapter of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and presided over by Qazi Hussain Ahmed was attended by members of the components of the MMA and other religious and social organizations.

The speakers rejected withdrawal of a report about the desecration incident by the Newsweek magazine and demanded handing over of the culprits for their trial in accordance with Islamic laws. Speaking on the occasion, Qazi Hussain said that desecrators of Holy Quran, the divine book preaching love, peace, justice, equality and moderation, and their supporters would be chased all over the world and made to repent their misdeeds.

He said: “We can restore Muslim Ummat’s respect only through unity and changing our rulers for which we have to launch a targeted movement by peacefully taking to the streets.” He assured that the protests would be peaceful and target of their abhorrence would not be local minorities, particularly Christians, who, he said, were an oppressed and poverty-stricken community.

The MMA president announced that women and children would hold a big protest demonstration after an all-male demonstration on May 27. Jamaat Dawat wal Tauheed chief Professor Hafiz Saeed termed the world-wide wave of protests as a blessing in disguise which could pave the way for Muslim unity.

He alleged that a number of American magazines, including Newsweek had at a number of times desecrated Islamic tenants and the Holy Quran in the past but the Muslim world had failed to move against them. He proposed that every mosque be made a centre of protest where the faithful should record their resentment against the American contempt for Islam and Islamic tenants after every prayer.

He also called for holding a public meeting in Parliament House and forcing the government during the budget session to express strong resentment against the desecration incident.