FAISALABAD, Feb 27: Hundreds of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) activists staged a protest demonstration and took out a rally at the Clock Tower intersection by dodging the police force deputed around the main offices of the religious alliance here on Monday.

Following the protest call given by the central leadership against arrest of their workers and leaders, activists gathered at different intersections of eight bazaars around the Clock Tower.

They surprisingly displayed banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the government and expressing their resentment over the publication of blasphemous caricatures.

They marched through the Chiniot Bazaar and Kutchery Bazaar and held a demonstration at the Clock Tower intersection. Later, they dispersed peacefully.

Police teams after the receipt of information about the rally and demonstration moved towards the intersection but the protesters had disappeared by then.

Meanwhile, the PPP also held a protest demonstration against the publication of blasphemous caricatures on the district council premises and condemned the ban imposed on rallies and demonstrations.

The demonstration was addressed by the MPAs Raja Riaz Ahmad, Dr Asad Moazam, Jahanzeb Imtiaz Gill, Riaz Shahid, Begum Noorun Nisa Malik and former MNA Farooq Saeed Khan.