PESHAWAR, Jan 15: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal staged a protest demonstration here on Sunday against the US air attack on civilians in Bajaur Agency. Hundreds of workers took out a procession from Jamaat-i- Islami’s office in Nishterabad and assembled on the Grand Trunk Road to express their anguish over the killing of tribesmen.

However, other component parties of the MMA including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam did not take part in the protest.

Protesters, carrying placards, shouted slogans against America and President Gen Pervez Musharraf and held them responsible for the deaths of women and children in Friday’s missile attack.

The pre-dawn air strike killed at least 18 people and wounded six others in Damadola area of the Bajaur Agency.

MNAs Shabir Ahmad Khan, Sabir Hussain Awan and other leaders, who led the protest rally spoke on the occasion and demanded federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao’s resignation.

The JI leaders alleged that the US government had taken Gen Musharraf into confidence before the attack.

They said that senior army commanders should ask Gen Musharraf to explain how US planes violated air space and targeted civilians.

It was announced that the MMA would hold protests on Friday to condemn the air attack.

The JI workers also held demonstrations in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency, against the missile attack.

Our Correspondent from Lakki Marwat adds: The district chapter of the Jamat-I-Islami on Sunday took out a protest rally in Serai Naurang against the US bombardment in Bajuar Agency.

The protesters led by district Amir of JI Mazullah Khan, Secretary General Sabz Ali Khan Naveed, Naib Amir Prof Sher Ghulam and Nazim Union Council Naurang Nekza Ali Shah started their protest march from Bacha Khan Chowk and after passing through different bazaars culminated into a small gathering at Phatak on main GT road.

The leaders condemned the attack on the innocent residents of Bajuar Agency and demanded of the United States to make an apology from the Pakistani nation besides compensate the victim family.

Our Correspondent from Mingora adds: The Jamaat-i-Islami organized a rally here on Sunday to protest against killing of 18 people in a US air strike in Bajaur Agency.

The rally was led by MNA Fazal Subhan Khan and other JI leaders.

The protesters marched on different roads through the city and reached the Green Chowk where the rally culminated into a public meeting.

While addressing the meeting, speakers said that wrong policies of Gen Musharraf encouraged US aircraft to bomb residential compounds in Bajaur Agency and kill 18 innocent tribesmen, majority of whom were children and women.

They said it was shameful for the government that American planes were frequently violating Pakistan’s airspace and carrying out air strikes.

They demanded of Gen Musharraf to resign from the posts of army chief and president.

Mortars hit Landi Kotal: Two mortar shells, believed to have been fired from Afghanistan’s Dhaka area, landed near army checkposts here on Saturday night, military authorities confirmed on Sunday.

One of the projectiles hit the area between the Speena Sooka and the Topsar check-posts while the other landed near Morcha check-post in Charbagh. The 82mm-mortar shells, however, caused no damage, officials said.

They said that three mortar shells were fired from the Dhaka area across the border.

One fell in Afghanistan territory and two landed in the Khyber Agency.