SUKKUR, March 4: Three protest processions were taken out here on Saturday as black day was observed against the visit of US President George W. Bush and publication of blasphemous cartoons.

Activists of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal marched from Clock Tower to the press club where they staged a sit-in for two hours. They were carrying black flags and chanting slogans against the US and European countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Musharraf Mehmood Qadri, Hizbullah Jakhro and others blamed the US president for massacre of innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Condemning sacrilegious cartoons, they demanded that the government should sever trade and diplomatic relations with countries where the caricatures had been published.

Another procession was taken out by workers of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf which was led by Dr Rab Nawaz Kalwar and Munawwar Memon. The protesters also staged a demonstration outside the press club.

They condemned detention of party chief Imran Khan and demanded his immediate release.

Maula Bux Khaskheli and Latif Shaikh led a procession organized by the Communist Party of Pakistan from the taluka municipal office.

Raising slogans against President Bush, the protesters after marching through main roads reached the press club.

HUNGER STRIKE: Activists of various political, religious and social parties observed a hunger strike four hours outside the press club here on Saturday against arrest of 23 people on the charge of damaging churches and other Christian property following desecration of the Holy Quran.