40,000 attend 'cartoons' protest in Pakistan

Tens of thousands of people shouting “God is Great!” marched through Karachi today and burned effigies of the Danish prime minister in Pakistan’s fourth day of protests over cartoons of Prophet Mohammed.

About 5,000 police and paramilitary forces, wearing helmets and wielding guns and shields, were deployed along the two-mile route of the rally to prevent the violence that has plagued other protests throughout the country this week.

The rally in Karachi ended peacefully and about 40,000 people participated in it, said Shahnawaz Khan, a senior Karachi police officer.

Protesters burned Danish flags and also chanted: “God’s curse be on those who insulted the prophet.”

The government ordered educational institutions to close for the day and many shops in the city were shut. Most public transport did not operate.