PESHAWAR, April 28: Supporters of Taliban militia attacked women's protest rally, organized by Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) at Tehkal Bala, University Road here on Tuesday. Police thrashed and tear gassed the mob and rounded up 20 Afghan nationals. Four persons including a woman received minor injuries. The procession was taken out to observe black day against the occupation of Kabul by Taliban who entered the capital city of Afghanistan on April 28,1992 and toppled the communist regime of Dr Najeebullah.

According to details, hundreds of RAWA workers aboard vehicles reached at University Town from Gulbahar and started march. The participants, holding effigies of Uzbek militia war-lord General Rashid Dostum, former president Professor Rabbani, Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, Khalili and Mullah Rabbani and chanted slogans against the Taliban militia, leaders of warring factions and foreign interference in the war-town country. They also held placards and banners inscribed with, "Murdabad fundamentalism" and "long live democracy".

A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) cardoned off the road which resulted in big traffic jam. When the procession reached Takhal Bala at 11 am the women raised slogans against Taliban and a group armed with batons and pistols attacked the rally, which created panic. The youngsters also pelted the procession with stones and bricks. However, the police and FC Jawans resorted to baton-charge and tear-gas to disperse the attackers. Four persons including a woman sustained injuries and the police arrested 20 Afghans. The rally was culminated at Gora Qabristan.

Latter, Dini Madrassa students took out a procession from Derwaish Masque of Cantt areas against the arrest of Taliban supporters and demanded of the government to release them, immediately. However, police said that the arrested persons were released which were kept at Town Police Station and handed over to Maulvi Abdul Qadir.

Earlier, in a statement RAWA strongly condemned attack on the procession and termed it an ample proof of brutality.

Our staffer adds: The RAWA passed a resolution which was distributed among the demonstrators said, "Criminal fundamentalists, whether Rabbani, Khalili, Akbari, Gulbuddin, Masoud, Sayyaf, Mullah Omar, Mullah Rabbani, or non-fundamentalist warlords such as Dostum, are all identical in their odious entities and none can in any way be deemed any better than the other. They are all equally responsible for the on-going tragedy in Afghanistan. The seeming victory of one over the other can never be final. They termed United States of America as the master player in this great game of Chess.

The resolution said, "only decisive and uncompromising struggle against fundamentalism is the key to the solution of the Afghan conundrum and the cessation of foreign interference in our country". They urged the international and national communities to come forward and help them resolve the issue not to serve their interests but for the welfare of Afghan people who are forced to live in other countries and who are facing the worst conditions at their own homeland