Hundreds join rally in Pak to honour Osama bin Laden

Quetta:  Hundreds took to the streets of  Quetta today to pay homage to Osama bin Laden, chanting 'death to America' and setting fire to a US flag. Angry participants belonging to a religious party in Quetta, the capital of southwestern province Baluchistan, were led by federal lawmaker Maulawi Asmatullah.

It was the first rally in Pakistan after the United States announced that bin Laden had been killed in an overnight commando mission in Pakistan.

Organisers said between 1,000 and 1,200 people attended the rally, but witnesses put the figure closer to 800.

"Bin Laden was the hero of the Muslim world, and after his martyrdom he has won the title of great mujahed," Asmatullah said.

"His martyrdom will not end the movement. It will continue and thousands more bin Ladens will be born. Today's operation shows the US has no respect for international borders and they can violate international laws any time," he added.

Baluchistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan is wracked by an insurgency waged by ethnic Baluch tribes seeking greater autonomy from the government and a greater share of profits from the region's wealth of oil and gas resources.

The region has also been hit by attacks blamed on Taliban militants.