Thousands of Pakistanis on Sunday attended an anti-U.S. rally in the port city of Karachi, organized by Islamic groups, to condemn the purported American air strike early Friday in the Pakistani remote tribal region, which killed 18 people.

The rally was organized by the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) as part of the countrywide protest against the early Friday attack on three houses in Bajur tribal region.

The government coalition partner, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), supported the MMA protest, and the support attracted a crowd of some 10,000 people in Karachi, reports from there said.

"We want Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to cancel his upcoming visit to the United States as a protest," deputy chief of the hard- line Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Prof. Ghafoor told the rally.

Aziz is scheduled to pay a week-long visit to the United States from Jan. 17. He will also meet with U.S. President George Bush.

Ghafoor also demanded the government stop the planned visit to Pakistan by former U.S. president senior Bush, who is scheduled to embark on a three-day visit from Sunday.

Senior Bush was appointed as the UN Secretary General's envoy for Pakistan's earthquake-hit areas.

The Jamaat leader condemned the American bombing and called upon President Bush to tender apology for the killing of the civilians, including women and children.

Source: Xinhua