Police disperse anti-US rally in Islamabad

Islamabad, July 9, IRNA – Riot police Friday used batons to disperse students who staged rally against the US for organizing Gays and Lesbian party in its embassy in Islamabad.

Last month's gays and lesbians party, arranged by the US embassy, sparked condemnation of the US for promoting homosexuality in the Islamic society.

Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, a main student group, had announced to hold the anti-US rally in Islamabad’s main Aabpara square and wanted to proceed to the American embassy.

But the police resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students.

A spokesman for Jamiat, said the police arrested the group’s Islamabad chief, Noor-ul-Bashar and 25 more students.

The students chanted slogans against the US and appealed to the people to protest against the US for destroying the social fabric of Muslim societies.

The US embassy had issued a statement about details of the function of Gays and Lesbians.

Diplomatic sources said the embassy had failed to attract more people and only few local Pakistanis attended the function, and that most of the attendants were American embassy’s officials and representatives of the Western and European diplomatic missions.

Islamic groups angrily reacted to the US function and said the embassy has violated Pakistani laws which prohibit promotion of homosexuality.

Leaders of the Islamic groups demanded of the government to take action against the US embassy for violating the laws of the country./end