February 25, 2006	Saturday	Muharram 26, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Feb 24: Peaceful demonstrations were held in cities and towns of the NWFP on the call of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Friday to protest against the publication of blasphemous cartoons.

In Peshawar, shopkeepers fearing a repeat of Feb 15 violence kept their shops partially closed. Traffic on roads remained thin.

Large contingents of police and paramilitary forces were deployed along the streets and squares to avert any untoward incident.

The provincial government has already closed schools, colleges and universities across the province.

The MMA and the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy held a joint protest meeting at Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

A procession was taken out from Mohabat Khan Mosque. Another march that started from the Madni Masjid joined other protesters at Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

Protesters chanted slogans against US and western media. They burnt an effigy of the Danish prime minister.

Through a unanimous resolution, the demonstrators called upon the government to sever diplomatic tries with and expel ambassadors of those countries where sacrilegious cartoons had been published.

They asked the provincial government to release those arrested during riots on Feb 15 and bring the real culprits to justice for damaging public and private property.

Some speakers held the city district government and secret agencies responsible for the riots on Feb 15.

Addressing the rally, NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq announced that the protests would continue until western countries tendered an apology and hand over the cartoonists to the Muslims.

KOHAT: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) and Jamaat-i-Islami workers brought out processions from the main bazaar and Bilitang amid tight security.

The march led by Mufti Abrar Sultan, MNA, passed through the bazaar and ended at the Shah Faisal Gate where leaders in their speeches demanded severe punishment for the editor of the Danish newspaper.

At the demo held at Bilitang the government was asked to sever diplomatic and economic ties with Norway and Denmark. District JI chief Pir Faheem led the demo.

BAJAUR: Markets and bazaars remained closed and protest demonstrations were held in Khar.

PARACHINAR: A complete strike was observed in the town to protest against sacrilegious cartoons and bombing of Imam Hadi’s mausoleum in Iraq.

SWABI: Protest demonstrations were held in the Right Bank Colony of Tarbela Dam and Kernel Sher Kili. The protesters carried placards and chanted slogans against the European countries.

TIMERGARA: The procession attended by JI members of parliament, workers and traders started from Markaz Ahyaul Uloom and reached the main bazaar where it turned into a public meeting.

The JUI-F was conspicuous by its absence from the rally.

LAKKI MARWAT: Hundreds of JUI workers blocked the highway connecting NWFP to Punjab at the Kargil Chowk.

The protesters led by JUI’s provincial amir Maulana Amanullah Khan, MNA, had reached there after passing through various thoroughfares.

The angry protesters staged a sit-in on the road, blocking it for traffic for nearly two hours.

Maulana Amanullah criticised President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for their alleged stance of appeasing the US and heads of EU instead of lodging a strong protest against the blasphemous act.

Similar protest rallies were also held in Nowshera, Landi Kotal and other parts of the province.