SWAT, Feb 18: Thousands of people took out a procession in Mingora on Saturday to protest against the publication of sacrilegious images in European newspapers.

The protesters were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the Danish government and US President George W. Bush.

They marched through the streets and burnt the effigy of the US president. The demonstration ended at Mingora Chowk, Swat.

The leaders of the procession said they would continue their campaign of peaceful protests until the publishers of the blasphemous caricatures were punished.

They called upon the federal government to sever diplomatic and trade relations with Denmark and Norway as well as other countries where the cartoons had been reprinted.

The protesters leaders stressed that the Muslim community should stand united and show solidarity on this occasion. —Online