Pakistan's Islamist parties have staged a big rally in Karachi to kick-start a campaign to force President Pervez Musharraf to quit as army chief, and hold only one post.
Thousands of supporters of the six-party Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) alliance shouted anti-U.S. and anti-Musharraf slogans.
The rally was also attended by local leaders of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's opposition Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Similar rallies will be held next month in the cities of Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi.
Early this month, Pakistan's parliament adopted a bill that allows General Musharraf to remain as army chief, even after he himself admitted that leading both the nation and the military was undemocratic.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
