HYDERABAD, Oct 12: No strike was observed here on Friday on the call of Afghan Defence Council Pakistan as shops remained open and traffic was also normal.

However, hundreds of activists of different religious parties staged a demonstration outside the Hyderabad press club and blocked Miran Mohammad Shah Road for two hours to condemn American airstrikes on Afghanistan.

They chanted slogans against Us President Bush, Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee and Jews and in favour of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

The protesters mostly comprised teenagers and children who burnt two effigies of President Bush stuffed with chaff and firecrackers.

As the effigies were set ablaze, the entire locality was filled with smoke billowing from the chaff and the charged youth danced on the sound of firecrackers as they beat the effigies with sticks. They also carried portraits of Osama.

Speaking at the rally, the leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sipah-i-Sahaba and Lashkar-e-Taiba in their fiery speeches lashed out at the US for attacks on Afghanistan.

They termed the airstrikes on Afghanistan attack on the Islamic world as President Bush had called the onslaught a crusade.

Under the circumstances, they said the Pakistani rulers should refrain from supporting America.

They warned if the bombardment on Afghanistan was not stopped, the Americans in Islamabad and Karachi should no consider themselves safe.

The speakers said that arrests and repression could not stop them from their mission. They asked the rulers not to stop them from giving vent to their feelings and warned otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

They said that notwithstanding the assurance given by President Gen Pervez Musharraf that the American forces would not land in Pakistan, they have already landed in the country.

Many a youngster of the SSP wore white scarves on their heads as coffins.

It was announced in the rally that country-wide strike would be observed on Monday against the visit of the US Secretary of State General Powell.

Those who spoke at the rally included Moulana Saeed Jadoon, Moulana Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Moulana Abdus Sami Farooqui, Pir Manzoorul Haq, Saifullah Khan and others.