KARACHI - A large number of settlers on Sunday staged a protest demonstration against targeting them by the law enforcement agencies. The rally was took out by the Pakistan Bangali Action Committee which started from Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum and culminated at Karachi Press Club in which a large number of people participated. The protestors were holding Pakistani flags, banners and placards carrying slogans showing solidarity with Pakistan and against the coercive and cruel action by the FIA and other law enforcement agencies. They chanted slogans in favour of Pakistan and Army. They further raised slogans against the Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik for his irresponsible statement in which he declared them foreigners and for their deportation following the demand of his removal. They demanded that the aggressive registration of them and arrests by NARA must be ended immediately and the cruel measures by the FIA authorities must be curbed immediately. They said that in 1974, they were declared as the Pakistani citizens through a resolution which passed in the National Assembly by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto but since long some conspirators had adopted a discriminatory behaviour against them. They deplored over the statement given by the Rehman Malik that all the settlers should register themselves within 30 days otherwise they will be deported. Not even the interior minister is deviating from the objective of their party founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto but also degrading the Constitution and the parliament. They appealed to Malik to legally apologise to them who had legal documents of their nationality and took back their words otherwise the protests will be held at every level. After the rally, a press conference was also held at Karachi Press Club by the Chairman Pakistani Bangalis Action Committee, Shaikh Muhammad Feroze, with other leaders. He said that the cause of the march was to show the solidarity with Pakistan as our ancestors had sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Pakistan. Feroze said that they were peaceful and poor people who work hard to earn their basic needs but the discriminatory behaviour was meted out with them that must not be accepted at any cost. He showed solidarity with the Pakistan Army and appreciated their war against terror in Waziristan. We are ready to fight against terrorism together with the army. He condemned all these developments by the FIA, NARA and police authorities with a hope that the government will solve their problems and provide their basic citizens rights. Feroze appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Altaf Hussain, Governor Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, human rights NGOs and the public to take their side and play their role against these aggressive measures being meted out with them. Yousuf Ghazi, Maulana Noor Aala and other party workers were also present on the occasion.