Thousands of angry protesters took to the streets across Pakistan yesterday to condemn an American air strike aimed at al-Qaida's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, that left at least 18 people dead.
Up to 10,000 people reportedly protested at rallies in the largest city, Karachi. Many chanted: "Death to America!" Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf. Smaller protests were staged in other towns and cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.
The protests across Pakistan put further pressure on General Musharraf, whose close relationship with the United States has made him unpopular at home.
The rallies followed violent protests by thousands of tribesmen on Saturday in the Bajaur region on the Afghan border where the attack took place. The White House has remained tight-lipped over the missile strike, said to have been carried out by the CIA on Friday, using unmanned drone aircraft.
David Almacy, a White House spokesman, would not even confirm that the attack had been carried out by the US. He said only that "President Musharraf and Pakistan is a valued ally and partner in the war on terror".
However, a Republican senator, John McCain, defended the action yesterday. "We have to go where these people are, and we have to take them out," he said in an interview on CBS television. While expressing sympathy with the anger in Pakistan, he added: "I can't tell you that we wouldn't do the same thing again."
Up to 10,000 people reportedly protested at rallies in the largest city, Karachi. Many chanted: "Death to America!" Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf. Smaller protests were staged in other towns and cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.
The protests across Pakistan put further pressure on General Musharraf, whose close relationship with the United States has made him unpopular at home.
The rallies followed violent protests by thousands of tribesmen on Saturday in the Bajaur region on the Afghan border where the attack took place. The White House has remained tight-lipped over the missile strike, said to have been carried out by the CIA on Friday, using unmanned drone aircraft.
David Almacy, a White House spokesman, would not even confirm that the attack had been carried out by the US. He said only that "President Musharraf and Pakistan is a valued ally and partner in the war on terror".
However, a Republican senator, John McCain, defended the action yesterday. "We have to go where these people are, and we have to take them out," he said in an interview on CBS television. While expressing sympathy with the anger in Pakistan, he added: "I can't tell you that we wouldn't do the same thing again."
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