LAHORE, March 21: The MMA’s call for strike against the US led attack on Iraq drew a poor response as, except for a couple of markets, most business centres remained open in the city.
However, the attacks were widely condemned by prayer leaders in their Juma sermons. They denounced the attacks and used strong words against the US, urging the people to help their Iraqi brethren by all means.
None of the MMA leaders turned up outside Masjid-i-Shuhada on The Mall where they had announced holding a demonstration after Juma prayer.
About six activists of religious parties brought an effigy and set it to fire soon after worshippers left the mosque after Juma prayers. Some 150 people gathered around the burning effigy and joined the activists in their anti-America slogans. However, they dispersed peacefully.
All main business centres ran their work smoothly and there was no sign of a strike except for some closed shops in Anarkali and plazas outside the Walled City.
“The call has served its purpose as people expressed their anger and hatred against the US,” MMA leader Liaquat Baloch told a press conference.
He said hundreds of thousands of people denounced the US during the Juma prayers throughout the country.
About 100 activists of Jamaat Ahle Sunnat attempted to take out a rally outside the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bukhsh. The police barred them from coming on to the main road. A minor scuffle between the activists and the riot police also took place. The activists burnt the US and British flags before dispersing.
Around 200 workers of the Railway Carriage Workshop in Mughalpura blocked a road for about an hour and raised slogans against the US and its policies.
Meanwhile, a Jamaat press release claimed that a rally taken out at Mansoora was attended by a large number of people. Led by Punjab MMA president Hafiz Idrees, the protesters reached the Multan Road chungi where they dispersed.
Earlier, in his Juma sermon at Mansoora, Jamaat amir Qazi Husain Ahmad termed the US attacks as barbaric and urged Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali to call off his US visit.
“If he doesn’t call it off, the nation will consider him as an American and not a Pakistani,” he said and added the day was not far when America would also meet the fate of the USSR.
Meanwhile, security forces remained on high alert in the province. Heavy police contingents were deployed at public places to prevent any untoward incident. Foreign installations, churches and other places of worship were provided extra security.