Thousands of supporters of the religious parties held Tahafuz-e-Hudood Allah rally here on Sunday to protest the passage of women protection bill. Some 25,000 people attended the rally organised by the Ulema Committee and dispersed peacefully, a senior police official told AFP.
"The WPB is part of Western agenda that Musharraf is following," Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal general secretary Maulana Fazalur Rehman said addressing the protesters.
"There will be complete strike on Friday in Pakistan and we will continue our struggle to safeguard Islamic laws," he added Students from Madrassas holding banners and placards chanted slogans against President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan's "war on terror" ally the United States.
"Death to America and its stooges", "Stop joking with Islam in the name of women's liberation", "We reject women protection bill" read banners and placards amid shouts of "Death to Bush-Blair nexus".
The alliance leaders delivered fiery speeches and vowed to intensify protests across the country.