Film protests continue in Pakistan
23 September, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Thousands of activists in Pakistan staged new demonstrations on Saturday against the anti-Islam film, as the death toll from the previous day's violent protests rose to 21. More than 5,000 protesters marched towards the Parliament House in Islamabad, including hundreds of women, shouting, "We love our Holy Prophet (PBUH)" and "Punishment for those who humiliated our Prophet (PBUH)." Some 500 people from the hardline group Jamaatud Dawa staged a protest in front of the US consulate in Lahore, shouting, "The US deserves only one remedy – jihad, jihad." The protests were peaceful, in contrast to the previous day's demonstrations. Religious groups said they were also planning demonstrations in Karachi, the scene of the worst violence on Friday, after the funerals of some of those killed during the protests. On Friday the violence was worst in Pakistan with witnesses estimating that nationwide rallies mobilised more than 45,000, mainly members of right-wing religious parties and supporters of banned terror groups, although the numbers were still small in a country of 180 million. Four more people died overnight from wounds they received during the protests, taking the number killed across Pakistan in the day of demonstrations to 21. Fifteen people were killed in Karachi, and six in Peshawar, the Health Department officials said. The combined total of wounded in Karachi, Peshawar and in the capital was 229. Overall, 23 people have been killed in Pakistan during protests over the past week. End.
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