SWABI, Dec 29: Local leaders and workers of all political parties held a demonstration here on Saturday in protest against the assassination of two-time prime minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and called upon President Pervez Musharraf to step down immediately.

The workers of the Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao and Pakistan Awami Party gathered at the Kernel Sher Chowk and demanded that rulers should immediately quit as their continuity in power posed a grave threat to the integrity of the country.

In Timergara, the district bar association boycotted the court proceedings and announced that lawyers would observe a three-day strike against the brutal killing of Ms Bhutto and other innocent citizens in the Rawalpindi tragedy.

A meeting of the Bar was held on Saturday at which its district president Abdul Hussain, general secretary Jehan Bahadar and other senior lawyers spoke.

The speakers regretted that an individual had hijacked the entire nation to please the US and western powers.

In Lakki Marwat, all business centres remained closed and separate protest meetings were held by the Jamaat-i-Islami and PPP.

In Landi Kotal, PPP workers set up a hunger strike camp in the city’s main bazaar to protest against the Liaquat Bagh tragedy.

People from different walks of life visited the camp to express their sympathy at the brutal killing of Ms Bhutto.

The markets remained closed and there was almost no traffic on roads.

A complete strike was observed in Mardan and workers of PPP and other political parties marched on roads and organized demonstrations.The lawyers’ community and civil society activists also took out a procession to protest the brutal killing.