Demonstrators at the rally, convened by the Muttahida Majlis-e-AmalIslamic alliance, carried banners and placards denouncing US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who also sent troops to Iraq.

However, unlike at previous rallies, there were no portraits of dethroned Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and only a few emotional youth were seen waving pictures of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

"We condemn attacks on Iraq," a large banner read, while another declared: "We are with the people of Iraq."

The protesters torched effigies of the two leaders and shouted "Down with Bush and Blair" and "al-Jihad" (holy war).

The thousands of protesters travelled from different parts of the city and from suburban towns in buses, trucks and trollies pulled by tractors to converge at the downtown Koh-i-Noor Chowk intersection, where organisers had erected a huge makeshift stage.

A separate enclosure was set up for women protesters.

The six-party MMA has been at the forefront of anti-US protests in Pakistan and staged massive rallies weeks before the assaults on Iraq began on March 20, with one on March 30 in the northwestern city of Peshawar drawing an estimated 200,000.

However the turn out in Monday's rally in Hyderabad was much lower than the MMA had expected, with enthusiasm apparently waning after the April 9 fall of Baghdad to coalition forces.

SPACE.WIRE