Students, political party workers, journalists and people at large held protest rallies in the provincial metropolis to lodge their anguish against what they called the US pre-dawn aggression on Baghdad and to express solidarity with the people of Iraq.
A big anti-war procession was taken out from main campus of the university of Peshawar which was also attended by a large number of students of Engineering University, Agriculture University and Khyber Medical College.
Students boycotted their classes and marchers started rally from Islamia College which culminated at Iqra Chowk on main Jamrud Road. The leaders of different student wings, including Islami Jamiat-i-Talba, Pukhtoon Students Federation and People’s Students Federation led the rally.
The protesters, carrying placards and banners inscribed with anti-United States slogans, chanted slogans against US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The angry students, through a unanimous resolution, demanded of the government to condemn the US attack and extend support to the Iraqi people. The IJT announced to observe “Down with America” rally and would hold protest demonstration in Islamia College here on Friday.
The Jamaat-i-Islami and the IJT also took out procession from Bilal mosque, Ashraf Road, which was attended by a large number of workers. They staged a protest demonstration at Shahidan Chowk, Qisa Khwani Bazaar and dispersed peacefully.
The Khyber Union of Journalists and the Peshawar Press Club organised an anti-war rally here on Thursday which was attended by over 150 journalists. They started their march from the Press Club and ended in front of the Governor House. The marchers, carrying placards, strongly opposed the US attack on Iraq.
Protest rallies were taken out in the tribal area of Mohmand Agency, Abbottabad, Mardan, Buner, Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan, which were attended by a large number of people and political party workers, according to reports.
MINGORA: The attack of US-led forces against Iraq had widely been condemned by the people here and the students took out protest processions and staged demonstrations as a mark of solidarity with the Iraqi people here on Thursday, our correspondent adds.
A big procession was taken out from Jehanzeb College and people marched on the main Saidu Sharif-Mingora Road to the city. The procession turned into a public meeting at Nishat Chowk, which was also attended by the people of different walks of life.
The protesters were chanting slogans against the US and its allies and expressed their full support to the Iraqi people. The speakers, Rasheed Ahmad and Amjad Ali of the IJT, stressed the need that the rulers openly announce Pakistan’s support to the Iraqi people.
They said America wanted to become master of the world and occupy all the countries by using force against them, which, they said was a crime.
They dubbed America as the biggest terrorist country and asked Muslims to take a united stand against it.