Thousands of Pakistanis protest at plan to support US

Thousands of angry people took to the streets of Pakistan yesterday in protest at the decision of the leader, Gen Pervez Musharraf, to side with the United States in an attack on Afghanistan.

At least three people were shot dead and three others were injured during violent protests in the commercial capital, Karachi.

Gunfire erupted at the rally after Friday prayers in the poor area of Sohrab Goth.

There were also reports that a shopkeeper was badly injured after being attacked by a mob.

There is now serious concern among the Pakistani authorities that social stability will break down in the coming days with emotions running so high.

Foreigners were warned not to move freely in city market areas.

Protesters shouted "God is Great" and "Down with America" at rallies across the country in response to calls by Islamic groups for a show of support for Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

In Karachi, a total of 15,000 police were drafted in to maintain order in Karachi.

Fourteen police vans and five trucks of paramilitary rangers surrounded the US consulate.

Pakistan's largest protest took place in Peshawar, which borders Afghanistan, where an estimated 5,000 people took part in two large protests, one in the morning and the other after Friday prayers in the afternoon.

There were ugly scenes as noisy demonstrators burnt an effigy of President Bush who on Thursday issued an ultimatum to Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to hand over bin Laden, wanted for masterminding the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre.

The Afghanistan government made it clear at a press conference yesterday it would not be handing bin Laden over.

The spokesman for the hardline Pakistani Jamiat Ulema Islam political group told the rally in Peshawar that the people had to know how unjust it was for the US to attack the Taliban without any concrete evidence.

Protesters shouted "God is great" and "Stop aggression against Afghanistan" while every so often they chanted bin Laden's name.

"Bush's army will be stopped" according to one speaker. "We will fight to the bitter end."

The black and red flags of Pakistan's only religious political grouping, Jamiyat-e-Ulemai Islami, were waved by angry supporters.

Shops in Peshawar, as in most other cities, were closed, some in support of the strike and others fearing protesters if they were seen to be ignoring the call.

One female French journalist who was jostled and heckled and had stones thrown at her by a group received a police escort from the protest.

Women journalists were advised not to move around the streets and to stay in their hotels.

In the ancient city of Lahore, hundreds streamed through the city centre brandishing flags from 35 Islamic groups.

Large numbers of police were deployed around the city in protective riot gear, some armed with semi-automatic weapons but most carrying batons.

Army trucks patrolled, packed with soldiers in combat gear and with machine guns mounted in front.

"If America attacks, we will turn Afghanistan into their graveyard," announced one speaker, to the cheers and chants from the assembled faithful.

In the western city of Quetta, capital of Baluchistan, police ringed hotels and foreign journalists were prevented by the authorities from leaving their hotel as the situation was too volatile.

A snap poll by Gallup Pakistan showed that 62 per cent of those questioned opposed Gen Musharraf's decision to stand by the US in its war on terrorism. Gen Musharraf has appealed for national unity.