KARACHI, 11 June 2005 — Police yesterday detained 50 hard-liners who were protesting against the desecration of the Qur’an at the US Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba, police and witnesses said.
Riot police in the southern port city of Karachi moved in to break up around 250 demonstrators linked to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) alliance of religious parties.
“We have detained some 50 people for violating a government ban on rallies,” said police officer Mohammad Zahid.
However, MMA leader Mairaj-ul Huda told AFP that police had beaten up “peaceful” protesters and arrested three MMA legislators.
The protesters were also rallying against the recent murder of a local party leader and planned to march through the streets and stage a sit-in in front of a key local government building.
In Pakistan’s second biggest city, Lahore, protesters torched effigies of US President George W. Bush along with the US flag and shouted anti-American slogans, witnesses said.
