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
