ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: Scores of political activists, students, trade unionists and citizens held a protest demonstration at Aabpara Chowk here on Friday against “violence and ethnic cleansing of Pakhtuns in Karachi”.

The protesters also demanded an end to the military operation being conducted in Fata and NWFP that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and rendered them homeless.

Call for the protest was given by the People’s Rights Movement (PRM).

The protesters were wearing black bands on their mouths, ears and eyes to highlight suffering of the Pakhtoon refugees and chanted slogans against American imperialism, an ethnic group in Karachi and the Taliban.

Speaking on the occasion, Aasim Sajjad of the PRM said many who have fled the military operation have made their way into Karachi where, he alleged, they were being subjected to a new terror by workers of a political party.He said the ‘war on terror’ had been brought to Karachi and here again under the guise of Talibanisation, ordinary people were being targeted.

Mr Sajjad said the USA and its cronies in Pakistan had pushed the country to the brink of civil war and that only people's resistance could stop their design.

Speaking on the occasion, Alia Amirali said the media took on the MQM after May 12 incident but, she said, on this occasion it had not exposed what she called blatant terror being perpetrated on the Pakhtuns.

She said despite the military operation, the Taliban continue to get stronger, adding that the whole area was drifting away from peace.

Social activist Jehangir Akhtar said intelligence agencies created the MQM that had made the people of Karachi hostage for over two decades. He said it was unfortunate that the elected government had accommodated the MQM in spite of its “clear crimes against humanity”.

He said until political forces challenge the military establishment and its civilian cronies, there can be no peace or prosperity for ordinary people.