Protests held against Musharraf in UK

New Delhi: The Pakistanis living in the UK held protests against the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

Pro-democracy protestors gathered in the streets of London to express their anger against the General shouting anti Musharraf slogans.

A highly charged two-hour long protest rally was held in front of the Pakistan High Commission on Monday orrganised by the students studying in various colleges and universities of the UK, including Oxford, Cambridge, London School of Economics (LSC) and School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

A number of lawyers associations, the demonstration also raised vociferous slogans against what they called Gen Musharraf’s second martial law and the continued military rule in the country.

They condemned the police baton-charge and tear-gas shelling on peaceful rallies in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi and other towns and cities of the country.

Hina Jilani of Human Rights Commission, a local leader of Tehrik-i-Insaf and a senior journalist addressed the protest rally. One of the students recited poems from Faiz and Jalib.

Most Pakistanis and Pakistani origin Britons at the rally talking to Dawn condemned the imposition of emergency in the country and called for Gen Musharraf to go home immediately.

Meanwhile UK authorities are calling on Pakistan's government to release all political prisoners detained since the state of the emergency began.

Britain is also reviewing the implications for its development and assistance programs to Pakistan.

The British Government is committed to providing nearly half a billion dollars in aid to Pakistan over the next three years for the war on terror.

(With agency inputs)