Massive protests over Zawahiri attack

Significantly, pro-Musharraf party and ally, the MQM, also took part in the rally. The marches were held in the backdrop of Musharraf’s appeal to his countrymen not to harbour foreign militants. “If we kept sheltering foreign terrorists here, our future will not be good,” Musharraf said in an address broadcast by state-run PTV.

“We want Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to cancel his visit to the US as a protest,” deputy chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Senator Prof Ghafoor told the rally. Aziz is scheduled to pay a week-long visit to the US from January 17.

Meanwhile, reports from Washington said that FBI anticipates performing DNA tests on the victims of the airstrike. The tests to determine identities of the dead are expected to be conducted in the US, said a law enforcement official .

Up to 11 militants were believed to be among the dead, according to unidentified Pakistani officials quoted in news reports. However, survivors of the attack in Damadola denied that militants were there.

Pakistan condemned the strike and summoned US Ambassador Ryan Crocker to lodge its protest. Local tribesmen also rallied near the scene, chanting anti-American slogans.

‘‘Zawahiri was invited for the dinner, but we have no evidence he was present,’’ a senior intelligence official said. Al Arabiya television quoted a source it said had contact with Al-Qaeda saying Zawahiri was alive.

The US government has issued a $25 million bounty for Zawahiri, considered a close associate of bin Laden.