Students protest against cartoons

Published February 6, 2006

PESHAWAR, Feb 5: Several students were injured in Pabbi after police baton-charged a mob protesting against the publication of blasphemous cartoons in Danish and other European newspapers.

They also came out on roads and pelted vehicles with stones, injuring some passengers.

Witnesses said the students were protesting against European newspapers on Saturday for publishing the caricature of the Prophet (SAW).

They also clashed with police.

The Combined Students Organisation held a rally which blocked the Grand Truck Road for several hours, disrupting traffic between Peshawar and Islamabad.

Students got enraged when police started using batons to disperse them. The protesters against the countries where the blasphemous material was published.

They demanded that the government should declare the ambassadors of these countries persona non grata and sever diplomatic ties with them.

The students threatened to intensify their protests if the Danish envoy was not expelled from the country.

Hundreds of students of the Government Commerce College, Government College Peshawar and some students from Islamia College held a protest rally in front of the Peshawar Press Club. Later, they marched towards the Governor’s House carrying placards and banners.