- Title: Pakistanis burn mock U.S. coffins in protest against Soleimani's killing
- Date: 3rd January 2020
- Summary: POSTER READING (English): "DOWN WITH USA. DOWN WITH ISRAEL" (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) SECRETARY GENERAL OF MAJLIS WAHDAT-E-MUSLEMEEN (MWM), RAJA NASIR ABBAS, SAYING: "For the past many years, America has been facing defeat everywhere, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Gaza, in Syria, in Yemen, in Iraq and Afghanistan. America was holding a grudge against these great leaders, and this Satan attacked them, and snatched them away from us. But the path they showed us remains, it is the path of the prophets, it is the path of honour and glory. God willing, all Pakistanis, and people all over the world who believe in freedom and justice, those who are holding the fort against these Pharaohs will never abandon this path. It is Allah's promise that the oppressed will win in the end, and God willing the oppressors will be defeated." VARIOUS OF ACTIVISTS OF BELONGING TO MAJLIS WAHDAT-E-MUSLEMEEN (MWM) MARCHING AND CHANTING (Urdu): "WE ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR THE BRAVE ANTI-US SOLDIERS" PROTESTERS CARRYING POSTERS OF QASSEM SOLEIMANI, MARCHING AND CHANTING ANTI-U.S. SLOGANS PROTESTERS CHANTING "DEATH TO AMERICA" PROTESTERS LISTENING TO SPEECHES
- Embargoed: 17th January 2020 15:26
- Keywords: Iran Islam Islamabad Pakistan Qassem Soleimani U.S. coffins flags
- Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
- City: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA003BUMDB9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Protesters in Pakistan paraded and set alight mock coffins draped in U.S. flags to protest against the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani on Friday (January 3).
Chanting "Death to America" the protesters from a Pakistani Shi'ite political organisation paraded the coffins through the streets of the capital Islamabad before burning them.
The Pakistan Foreign Office issued a statement on Friday urging parties to "exercise maximum restraint" and to "engage constructively to de-escalate the situation, and resolve issues through diplomatic means."
Soleimani, a 62-year-old general, was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The overnight attack, authorised by President Donald Trump, was a dramatic escalation in a "shadow war" in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and its allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.
(Production: Marissa Davison) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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