ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI, Feb 24: Thousands of people, mostly belonging to religious parties, staged peaceful demonstrations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Friday to protest against blasphemous cartoons published in some European countries.

The rallies in the two cities were part of the countrywide protests held on the call of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six religious parties.

Unlike the violence witnessed during similar protests in Islamabad this month, Friday’s demonstrations went off peacefully.

Police were deployed in big strength, but they did not interfere though the protest marches defied a ban imposed on such gatherings in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly Maulana Fazalur Rehman spoke to the main MMA rally at Islamabad’s Karachi Company market area, blasting the government for what he called supporting the western campaigns against Muslim countries at the cost of national interests.

He said the MMA and other opposition parties would carry on with their protest campaign until the western countries rectified what he called a “satanic work”.

Seven different rallies were taken out in Rawalpindi, including those from Mohanpura, Lal Kurti, Tench Bhatta and Dhoke Syedan areas. The main rally, led by an MMA MNA from Balochistan, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, was brought out from Raja Bazaar’s Darul Uloom, which was joined by a large number of people and ulema.

The participants of the rallies, carrying placards and banners bearing anti-US slogans, marched to Rawalpindi’s Fawara Chowk where Maulana Haideri addressed them.

He and other speakers called upon the government to sever diplomatic and trade ties with countries where blasphemous caricatures had been published.

They said the Organization of Islamic Conference had lost its credibility, and also criticized the government for its pro- West policies and its handling of the anti-cartoon protests.

Business and shopping centres of Raja Bazaar, Murree Road, Satellite Town and other parts of the city remained closed apparently for fear of violence although the MMA had not called for a strike.

Very few public transport and private vehicles were seen plying in some parts of the city during the protests.