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Six injured as Pakistanis protest reprinting of cartoons

Other News Materials 14 March 2008 22:24 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa )- About half a dozen people were injured as thousands of Pakistani Islamists held demonstrations for the fourth consecutive Friday to protest the republishing of cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed (s.) in Danish newspapers.

Almost all the commercial markets remained closed and the public transport remained off the road in the southern port city and the commercial hub of the country, Karachi, on the general strike call by the fundamentalist Islamic organizations like Sunni Movement and Jamaat Islami (JI).

Hundreds of protesters held rallies in various parts of the cities and set ablaze the Denmark flags and chanted slogans like "Death to Danish government."

Angry young Islamists set on fire six buses and minibuses and at least six people were injured as the protesters faced resistance from the secular Muttaheda Qaumi Movement part during their attempt to close some markets by forces on Friday afternoon.

Similar demonstrations were held in the eastern city of Lahore and other areas of the country outside the main mosques after the Friday noon prayers.

The cartoons were first published in 2006, sparking protests and rioting in numerous Muslim nations including Pakistan, where a dozen people were shot dead by police.

Danish newspapers republished the controversial cartoons on February 13 to defend what they deemed to be freedom of speech after a plot to murder the cartoon's artist was uncovered.

But the latest demonstration has been relatively peaceful though the protesters continued to express their anger through words.

"We have decided to continue our struggle for sacrificing our lives for the honour of our dear prophet," Mohammed Hussain Mujtaba, a JI leader, told a rally of more than 2000 people.

The Muslim world should send clear signals to the western world that they cannot hurt the feelings of Muslims in the name of freedom of the press, he added.

Pakistan is an Islamic country that regards disrespect to the Prophet Mohammed and the Koran as blasphemy.

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