LAHORE, Aug 10: The Jamaat-i-Islami took out a “save the country” rally from Regal Chowk up to the Charing Cross on The Mall here on Sunday.

Led by secretary-general Syed Munawwar Hasan, provincial amir Liaquat Baloch, Dr Farid Piracha, Hafiz Salman Butt and Amirul Azeem, the participants also protested against price hike and injustice in the country.

Activists of Shabab-i-Milli and Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba were also part of the rally.

Holding placards and banners inscribed with their demands, the protesters raised slogans against the US, President Pervez Musharraf and PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari.

Speaking to the demonstrators, Hassan said the Jamaat would foil nefarious designs of the enemies of the country. He alleged that US interference into the internal affairs of Pakistan was increasing. Solidarity of the country was at stake as the rulers were lacking the courage even to record their protest against the US air strikes inside Pakistan, he added.

He said price hike, loadshedding and law and order situation had made lives of citizens miserable. He said the present rulers were continuing the policies of Musharraf to please Washington.

Speaking on the occasion, Baloch said the solidarity and independence of the country were at stake owing to incompetence of the rulers.

He said it was duty of the nation to fight for the solidarity and integrity of the country.

He regretted that the government did nothing during the last six months to provide relief to the masses.

He said the rulers were taking dictation from the US and continuing military operation in tribal areas. Missing persons, he said, were not yet recovered while Dr Aafia Siddiqui was handed over to the US for dollars.

He demanded that the deposed judges should be restored before impeachment of Musharraf.

Piracha said the nation would not be satisfied just with the impeachment of Musharraf. He said the people wanted trial of Musharraf under Article 6 for violating the Constitution and carrying out operation at Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid.