Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Massive Protests Continue in Pakistan Over Prophet Cartoons
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=10FA024:3919ACA Protesters at
enormous rallies chanted anti-western slogans, burned Danish flags to
protest drawings first published in Denmark more than five months ago

Tens of thousand protesters held massive demonstrations in the
Pakistani city of Peshawar, attacking Western businesses and other
buildings. Police squared off against violent crowds across the
country as anger at controversial European cartoons of the Muslim
Prophet Muhammad continues to rise. VOA's Benjamin Sand reports from
Islamabad that three people are reported to have died in the latest
protests.  







Pakistani paramilitary troops arrive to control situation as
protestors chant anti Denmark slogans during protest rallyBullets,
smoke and tear gas filled the air over Peshawar Wednesday.

Witnesses say at least one young boy was shot and killed as thousands
of protesters clashed with police.

Protesters at enormous rallies chanted anti-western slogans and burned
Danish flags to protest the drawings first published in Denmark more
than five months ago.

Roving mobs in Peshawar, capital of the conservative Northwest
Frontier Province, set fire to several movie theaters and businesses
based in Western countries, including a KFC fried chicken restaurant.







A security guard and police officer walk past burning vehicles which
were set on fire by angry mobs Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 in Peshawar,
PakistanWednesday's protests are by far the biggest yet in Pakistan
over the drawings.

Local authorities in Pakistan are downplaying the violence, blaming
the extreme reaction on a small minority of the population.

Akram Durrani, the Northwest Frontier Province chief minister, says he
has no intention of calling in the military to help control the
situation.

Schools and universities in the city have been closed as local police
struggle to impose order.

Similar protests erupted in eastern Pakistan.

In Lahore, witnesses say at least one man was killed when more than
1,000 people battled police outside Punjab University.

A massive demonstration in Lahore Tuesday left two people dead.

For weeks, Muslims around the world have been protesting to express
anger at the cartoons, which were printed in a Danish newspaper last
year. Most Muslims find any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad to be
offensive.

Pakistani authorities are bracing for more rallies in the coming days.

All of the country's political parties are planning demonstrations,
including a joint nationwide protest on March 3.

 


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