People burn the French flag in a protest against satirical French weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Quetta. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI: Thousands of people marched through Karachi on Thursday in the largest protest yet against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for publishing sacrilegious cartoons.
The march through the streets of Karachi is the biggest in a series of demonstrations against the magazine, whose Paris offices were attacked on January 7 by gunmen, killing 12 people.
An intelligence official overseeing the rally told AFP that the protesters numbered in the "thousands", still a relatively small turnout in a city of 18 million people.
Protesters carried green flags printed with the Prophet's (pbuh) mausoleum and chanted anti-Charlie Hebdo slogans as they marched.
"Down with Charlie Hebdo, down with the blasphemers," they shouted.
Many carried placards demanding blasphemers be killed.
Across the border in Afghanistan, around 50 people gathered outside the French Embassy in Kabul to protest against the magazine, chanting "France you are the devil".
Charlie Hebdo last week published a "survivors" issue with the issue quickly sold out before more copies of an eventual print run of five million hit newsstands.
Under the country’s strict blasphemy laws, insulting the Prophet (pbuh) can carry the death penalty, and the country's prime minister and parliament last week strongly condemned the publication of the cartoons.
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At least three people were injured on Friday when protesters and police clashed at an anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration outside the French consulate in Karachi.
RELATED POST: Three injured as protests against Charlie Hebdo turn violent in Karachi
They included AFP photographer Asif Hassan, who was shot in the back and is now recovering in hospital.
COMMENTS (23)
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Media coverage of this rally is pathetic.
Wow - I believe this is third such rally against Charlie Hebdo in Pakistan! Even Peshawar could not invoke such kind of response goes to say what is the state of general population there. Last week 3-4 people died in these protests in the same city and still they are at it.
Well done, Baccho ki dekh bhaal kar nahi sakte Islam ki dekh bhaal karne chale hai
Give these hooligans visa to Italy and they will start kissing the burning flag. But west is getting wary of giving visa to Pakistanis for this hypocrisy which indicates that they will instead of assimilating with the culture of western country will try their best to turn western country in to the same hole they came from.
@Sean:
no one was harmed and no state property was destroyed. the burning of the flag is the only way of reprisal these protesters knew of. if thats your definition of peaceful, there were other 'peaceful' rallies where no flag was burned. if tolerant people like you want to appear tolerant, then atleast understand the truth.
Why only Pakistanis protest in Pakistan, why Saudi Nationals don't protest in Saudi Arabia?
There are other numbers of Muslim countries. How many countries protest against the blasphemeny.
It gives pain to entire Muslim Ummah when such things happens in the Western World but why only Pakistanis react and not citizens of other Muslim countries?
@Realist:
Yeah, but Pakistan flag they are holding does not have crescent and star. These flags look more like saudia arabia flags.
Very soon they will start fighting and killing each. They will burn buses and shops. They will throw stones at cars and shut down roads.
The comment section is pathetic here. Just one question to all those who are criticising the protest. These guys no matter right or wrong, are exercising their "freedom of speech" and "freedom of expression". Why the standards have to be any different when the protest doesn't suits your narrative?
@Sean:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Protest-against-PK-escalates-theatres-in-Gujarat-vandalised/articleshow/45685893.cms
What part of the word 'vandalized' must I re-spell for you, homie? Agree with your last 2 lines.
@muneeb - there is a serious problem when you dont see the same numbers coming out in rallies against terrorism. Where were they after Peshawar attack? Pakistan has used all diplomatic and international platforms to register its complaint against Charlie Hebdo. Enough now. Focus on more important matters at hand that threaten your children and future. The world is not going to stop whatever it is doing just because of these demonstrations. These mullahs are trying their best to highjack the public narrative againt terrorism with the Charlie Hebdo excuse. Enough already.
People are exercising their right to protest against sick minded blasphemers who never exercised free speech right to abuse jews .whats the problem really?
These idiots have made "Charlie Hebdo" a household name throughout the world.
Nonsense! They can't protest for the corrupt leaders and their inefficiencies; yet they are ever ready to become guardians of Islam. They don't realize, that Islam does not need them. Stop these dramas and leave us alone! Nothing is going to happen to Islam.
Western nations & other progressive nations are least bothered by such demonstrations, as they are emanating from a third world country with insignificant exports and raw material. I completely agree with @Muneer @Angry Citzen @Chachoo
Cartoons are blasphemous yet inciting murder for those who printed them is OK.
NOTICE HOW, the protest march in Paris was peaceful...and with lots of participants(3.7 million). The Muslim protest, uh, not so much. I may be wrong, but I'm assuming this protest group in Pakistan is NOT considered the radical wing of Islam right? I mean, after all, the non-radical (normal everyday Muslims), are peaceful right? You know it's bad when even open minded, tolerant, loving, all accepting people (such as myself), are completely disgusted, disappointed, and done with this way of life, and those that are attempting to force it on the rest of the world.
When the previous protest in Karachi was highlighted by ET most of the commentators claimed it was a very small crowd. What about this?
We are the stupidest people on planet earth. Pakistan is going no where. Who will buy Pakistani textiles ? Which country will give us visas ? I am in export business and I can talk for hours about the difficulties I face daily. I thank the demonstater for making my life harder. We are on a suicidal path.
Many carried placards demanding blasphemers be killed? they should kill themselves first. idiots.
They should also have protested against the killing of 132 children in Peshawar. Where were they then? and why didn't they come out on the street?
Someday ago one young guy was asking that Why Western countries are not offering us visas and the answer is in the above newspiece. When you are openly calling for the murder and brining flags of Western nations then dont expect that West will open any doors to you. http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/25839/if-you-are-an-unmarried-pakistani-you-cannot-visit-sweden/
At least they got the flag right this time...