February 14, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 15, 1427

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GUJRANWALA, Feb 13: With protest rallies against blasphemous cartoons still on, trade and religious bodies announced a complete strike in major cities of the Punjab on Tuesday (today).

Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sahiwal will be among the cities where strike will be observed. Traders will pull down their shutters in Gujranwala to protest the publication of blasphemous cartoons by newspapers of Denmark and other European countries.

About 140 traders’ organizations, including Markazi Anjuman Tajran, will participate in the strike.

This was announced at a meeting held here on Monday under the chairmanship of Markazi Anjuman Tajran presided Dr Mahmood Ahmad.

The meeting condemned the act of publication of caricatures by civilized nations and termed it shameful and biased.

It also passed a unanimous resolution demanding the boycott of products of the countries that published blasphemous sketches. Heads of trade organizations and other representatives attended the meeting.

FAISALABAD: Trade organizations will observe a complete strike against the publication of blasphemous caricatures.

The decision was taken by the Faisalabad Traders Alliance, Anjuman Tajran Faisalabad and other trade bodies, including Faisalabad Cloth Board and Pakistan Yarn Merchants Association at a meeting held here on Monday. The meeting was also attended by office-bearers of various religious organizations.

A protest meeting would also be held at the Clock Tower Intersection while local traders would bring out a rally to express their resentment.

Leaders of traders and religious parties pointed out that the European newspapers had deliberately published the blasphemous drawings to victimize the Muslim world.

They said the government should also respond strongly and register its protest over the sad issue to stop such kind of objectionable act.

Prominent among those present in the meeting were Zahid Qasmi, Mufti Zia Madni, Sheikh Taj Mehmood, Munawar A. Sheikh, Haji Bashir, Nawaz Vohra, Rizwan Sadiq, Akram Baig, Abdul Razzaq, Malik Faiz Muhammad, Allah Rakha, Haji Abid and Moeen Sheikh.

Meanwhile, traders and shopkeepers staged a protest demonstration in front of offices of the City District Nazim and also took out a rally on Monday.

BUREWALA: A complete strike was observed in Burewala while protest rallies were also taken out from different parts of the town against the blasphemous cartoons.

The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the European countries where the cartoons were published.

PAKPATTAN: A large number of people on Monday took out a rally in protest against the blasphemous sketches.