LONDON, Nov 5: A highly charged two-hour long protest rally was held in front of the Pakistan High Commission on Monday. Organised by the students studying in various colleges and universities of the UK, including Oxford, Cambridge, London School of Economics (LSC) and School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) plus a number of lawyers associations, the demonstration raised vociferous slogans against what they called Gen Musharraf’s second martial law and the continued military rule in the country.

They condemned the police baton-charge and tear-gas shelling on peaceful rallies in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi and other towns and cities of the country.

Ms Hina Jilani of Human Rights Commission, a local leader of Tehrik-i-Insaf and a senior journalist addressed the protest rally. One of the students recited poems from Faiz and Jalib.

Most Pakistanis and Pakistani origin Britons at the rally talking to Dawn condemned the imposition of emergency in the country and called for Gen Musharraf to go home immediately.

No political party flags except those of the TI were visible at the rally.