A large crowd of displaced people from Pakistan's Waziristan region joined local tribesmen on the on streets of the northwest town of Bannu on Monday (January 19) to protest against satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The magazine published a picture of the Prophet Muhammad weeping on its cover last week after two gunmen stormed its offices and killed 12 people. The gunmen said their attack was revenge for previous cartoons the magazine had published mocking Islam.

Protesters in Bannu gathered in the main market square chanting "Death to the government of France", and setting fire to two effigies, one of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and one the crowd said represented the editor of Charlie Hebdo.

An inverse Italian flag, mistakenly thought to be a French flag, was also burnt alongside the two effigies.

The Pakistani government has condemned the magazine for showing disrespect to Islam and its prophet.

Local politician Mohammad Usman Ali Khan said Islamabad should break diplomatic ties with France over the issue.

On Sunday (January 18), around 5,000 people rallied against Charlie Hebdo in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, and the founder of a group banned for militant links urged protesters to boycott French products.

Related
Pakistan