Thousands rally in Pakistan against Bush and cartoons

Thousands rallied across Pakistan today against cartoons of Prophet Mohammed and a planned US presidential visit after radical Islamic groups called a strike that shut shops and businesses in several major cities.

At Chaman, a south-western town on the Afghan border, between 4,000 and 5,000 people protested peacefully. They shouted, “Go Back Bush! Bush, Dog!” and “God is Great!”

A similar rally by about 3,000 people was held in the north-western city of Peshawar.

US President George Bush was due to arrive late today on an overnight visit to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on the final leg of a South Asian tour.