LAHORE, Aug 26: A Karachi Solidarity Day was observed on Jumatul Wida all over the country on the appeal of Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawar Hasan.

Protest rallies were held in the federal and provincial capitals besides district headquarters after the Friday prayers.

The Jamaat leaders condemned the target killings, bloodshed, extortion and abductions going on in the port city. They assured the Karachiites that the patriotic people all over the country stood with them and shared their worries.

The speakers urged the rulers to take serious steps for controlling bloodletting in Karachi. They also urged all religious and political parties to sit together minus the MQM for finding out a solution to the Karachi crisis and for the enforcement of rule of law in the mega city.

Speaking at the Mansoora mosque, Mr Hasan said international mafia wanted to annihilate Pakistan and there were conspiracies to tear apart Karachi and Balochistan from the country.

The MQM was the local actor in this plot, he alleged, adding a situation was being created in the country that could create a justification for placing our nuclear installations under international control. The JI chief said it was immaterial whether the MQM was a part of the Sindh government or not, the fact remained that an MQM man had been the Sindh governor for the last 10 years.

A rally was taken out on Multan Road near Mansoora, where Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch said colonial powers wanted to snatch our freedom as international mafia had joined hands against the Muslims.

He said that calling troops in Karachi would not help solve the issue but would pave the way for the US and Indian interference in the port city. He urged the media to point out the elements involved in the gory crimes in the port city.