RAWALPINDI, Oct 9: About 2,000 activists of different religious parties and organizations and activists of Afghan Defence Council staged a protest demonstration against US-led strikes on Afghanistan at Mareer Chowk on Tuesday.

The protesters, most of them belonged to different Madressahs, were carrying banners, inscribed with slogans against the United States and in favour of Afghan people. The rally started from Jamia Islamia Madressah, Kashmir Road, Saddar.

At Mareer Chowk, the protesters set on fire the effigy of US President George Bush and blocked Murree Road.

The speakers condemned the military strikes on Afghanistan and said innocent women and children were being bombed in Afghanistan and today the American president had said other countries could be targeted.

They expressed fear that Pakistan could be the next target of American forces.

The speakers accused the government of arresting leaders of religious parties on the orders of the US president. They demanded immediate release of the arrested leaders. They vowed to send Mujahideen to Afghanistan in support of Taliban. The speakers said they did not condemn terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. “If Osama bin Laden is a terrorist, then the US government is bigger terrorist”, they said. They feared civil war in Pakistan if the Musharraf government did not change its policies.

Those who delivered speeches on the occasion, included Maulana Jalil of Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Qazi Abdul Rasheed, the president Afghan Defence Council (AFDC), and Maulana Taj of Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam.

A large number of policemen and army troops were present at the venue. However, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

It has been learnt that different religious organizations are planning to hold more protest demonstrations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday.

Meanwhile, in a late night move, the Cantt police lodged an FIR against the protesters, belonging to different religious groups, for staging the protest demonstration at Mareer Chowk as such demonstrations had been banned by the government.