Islamabad, Jan 18: Thousands of Pakist anis shouting anti-US slogans rallied in major cities across the country today calling for an end to "aggressive" US plans against Iraq. More than 1,000 people including hundreds of school children released pigeons and formed a human chain along the main thoroughfare in Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital Islamabad.
They held banners with slogans such as: "no war on Iraq in the name of fighting terrorism," "American imperialism is brutal and mad," "US has the maximum Weapons of Mass Destruction" and "We are united against war."
Children carried paper doves symbolising the call for peace.
Around 500 peace activists from different political and social organisations marched through the eastern border city of Lahore to condemn what they called the "US aggressive posture against Iraq."
Armed police prevented the slogan-shouting demonstrators from marching towards the heavily guarded US consulate building, witnesses said.
Later, police allowed five demonstrators to present a petition to the consulate against possible US military action against Iraq.
In Pakistan's largest city of Karachi around 200 anti-war activists held a demonstration shouting slogans such as "Down with US imperialism" and "Death to America," witnesses said.
The demonstrators later formed a human chain to express solidarity against war. Bureau Report