BBC - Pakistan sees biggest anti-US protests yet

Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit

BBC - 26 October, 2001

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1621000/1621932.stm

Pakistan sees biggest anti-US protests

The Karachi protest were peaceful Some 50,000 protesters have taken
to the streets of Karachi in Pakistan in support of Osama Bin Laden
and Afghanistan's ruling Taleban.

It is the biggest such demonstration in the country since the United
States attacks on Afghanistan began.

Large crowds have gathered in other cities, but the numbers appear
well short of the million protesters predicted by the organisers.

Correspondents say the protests are still largely confined to
religious hard-liners and students from religious schools.

Police chief Tariq Jamil told AFP news agency that here had been no
reports of violence.

The crowd carried banners with slogans such as "Osama is our hero"
and "There are no terrorists in Afghanistan".

More than 5,000 police have been deployed in Karachi to prevent
trouble.

In the western city of Quetta, about 20,000 protesters marched to a
disused cricket ground after Friday prayers, denouncing the US raids.

Police in Lahore are reported to have clashed with protesters.

Key figure

The Pakistani authorities prevented Qazi Hussein Ahmad, the leader of
the Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami, from attending the Quetta protest.

He was stopped at Islamabad airport from getting on a flight to
Quetta.

Qazi Hussein Ahmad has been one of the main figures in the protests
against the American raids.

Two other leaders are currently under house arrest.

There were clashes between protesters opposing the raids and police
earlier this month.

Several people were wounded and four people were killed in and around
Quetta.

Meanwhile, Mowlana Sufi Mohammad, the leader of a militant Islamist
organisation mainly based in the tribal region of northern Pakistan,
has announced plans to lead a large militia into Afghanistan on
Saturday.

Mowlana Mohammad called on his supporters to prepare for a holy war
against the US-led coalition soon after US and British forces
launched air and missile attacks on Afghanistan.
 
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