London: Scores of Amnesty activists and lawyers today held a demonstration outside British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street residence here in protest against serious human rights abuses in Pakistan.

The protests, organised by Amnesty International and the Society of Asian Lawyers and Solicitors International Human Rights Group, came on the eve of a summit meeting between Brown and visiting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Some of the protesters raised placards while others wore face masks of Musharraf and shouted slogans like "A little bit of human rights abuse never hurt me".

Musharraf, meanwhile, met Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain here today. Over 1,700 lawyers and political activists were arrested in Punjab province of Pakistan during the emergency imposed by President Musharraf on November three last year.

Nearly 500 similar arrests were made in Sindh while 800 lawyers were detained in Lahore besides hundreds more in other areas. Musharraf suspended the constitution during the Emergency and sacked 12 of the 17 Supreme Court judges. Pakistan is scheduled to go to polls on February 18. The Pakistani President yesterday warned western countries against criticising him or face consequences of failure of the war against terrorism in Pakistan.

He said such an eventuality would have its impact on the streets of whole of Europe as the stability of the entire region and even the world depended on the war that must be won at all costs.

Source : PTI