Tiny minority of extremists update: tens of thousands of demonstrators in Pakistan from “an alliance of Islamic parties.” From CNN, :
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) — Tens of thousands of people from all religious parties have staged a rally in Karachi against Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, declaring him unacceptable because of his pro-American policies.
During Sunday’s rally, Muthaida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of Islamic parties, called for a nationwide general strike on April 2 to protest rising unemployment and inflation, the promotion of secularism and the exclusion of religious affiliations on passports.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the Pakistan-Muslim League, announced he would support the strike.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed, president of the Islamic parties’ alliance, told
demonstrators the march marks the beginning of the opposition’s campaign to oust Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1999.“The illegal government of General Musharraf will end shortly and we will not accept another American tout now as Musharraf’s replacement,” he said….
“Musharraf is playing into the hands of America and destroying the Islamic Identity of Pakistan,” said Maulana Fazlur-Rahman, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly….