AP. 20 March 2003. US condemned, Saddam hailed in anti-war protests in Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD -- Bitter anti-US demonstrations erupted in Pakistan within hours of the first wave of US attacks on Baghdad. Hundreds of students, lawyers and journalists took to the streets of the Islamist-ruled northwest city of Peshawar yelling slogans denouncing US aggression and praising Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. "Saddam Hussein is a hero of Muslims," hollered one protestor, after the US military fired missiles on the Iraqi capital as dawn broke. Protestors demanded authorisation to travel to Iraq to take up arms against US-led forces. "We want the government to give us permission to go to Iraq to fight against the US forces," protest leader Shahab Hussain told a rally of around 800 students from Peshawar University. Students boycotted their classes and blocked the city's main Jamrud road for more than an hour. In the tribal district of Bajaur bordering Afghanistan, more than 1,000 students marched in protest. Fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami party followers gathered in the historic eastern city of Lahore chanting "save Iraqi children" and "Bush is a dog." A coalition of secular anti-war groups decreed a boycott of McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut fast food outlets, all enormously popular with Pakistanis, in protest at US and British aggression against Iraq. "We will mobilise people to... force closure of their food outlets," organising secretary Farooq Tahir said, adding protestors would hold sit-ins outside the heavily-guarded and usually crowded restaurants. The coalition known as the Pakistani Anti-War Committee has scheduled rallies in major cities later Thursday. ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international -- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
