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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

Thousands of Pakistani protesters rallied in anti-France demonstrations across Pakistan as anger swelled over a French magazine Charlie Hebdo's decision to republish cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

The demonstrations were largely led by the Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

Dozens of men gathered in the northern city of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, yelling slogans that included "Stop barking, French dogs" and "Charlie Hebdo, stop".

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

"The government of Pakistan should immediately end its diplomatic relations with France as a protest," Sunni cleric Mohammad Zaman said at the rally.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

The protest ended peacefully after the men stomped on a French flag, dowsed it in petrol and then set it ablaze.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

In a video message, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he strongly condemned Charlie Hebdo's action and that he had lodged a protest with the French ambassador in Islamabad.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

"The published caricatures have hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims," he said.

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Thousands of protesters take to Pakistani streets to condemn Charlie Hebdo cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed

"I hope that this despicable act will not be repeated and those responsible for it will be taken to a court of law."