A complete and peaceful strike was observed in the provincial metropolis against the publication of the blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the European newspapers.
The bazaars all around the city were presenting a deserted look as shopkeepers kept their shutters down. Vehicular traffic was also thin as very few inter-city buses and wagons were plying on roads.
The Daewoo, a Korean Transport Company also kept off their business of the road as a precautionary measure. On last February 15 strike call given by the trading community and supported by the religious political parties was resulted in the burning of 16 vehicles inside their bus terminal. The law-enforcement agencies are investigating the arson incident and a number of transporters are behind bar in that connection.
The law-enforcement agencies were put on high alert and heavy contingents of police were deployed at all important roads and sensitive areas of the city and cantonment board controlled areas. The senior police were themselves monitoring the situation in the city.
In connections with the strike, different political parties including the components of the ruling religio-political alliance in the province MMA, PPP-Parliamentarians, PML-N and ANP took out a protest rally.
Those who addressed the rally were including Senior Minister in NWFP cabinet Siraj-ul-Haq, PPP-Parliamentarian NWFP chief Rahimdad Khan, PML-N Pir Sabir Shah, Hakim Abdul Waheed, Haji Mohammad Afzal, Syed Ayub Shah, Shabir Ahmad Khan MNA, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali MNA, Senator Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, and advisor to NWFP chief minister, Allama Ramzan Tauqir.
Addressing the protesters the leaders called for abolition of diplomatic relations with the Denmark and other countries, whose newspapers had published the blasphemous caricatures. They said that like the extradition of the Aimal Kansi and Yousaf Ramzi by Pakistan to United States, Denmark should also hand over the culprit of Muslim Ummah to them.
They expressed concern over the nuclear deal between United States and India, saying that the nuclear technology achieved by the later would be used against the Muslims. They said that the successful shutter down strike has proved that the people of the country have rejected the pro-Western rulers of the country.
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