One person has died and scores were injured in pro-Taliban demonstrations in Pakistan today.
Thousands of protesters were involved in the unrest. Buildings, including two UN offices, were burned.
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Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf
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The outbreak of violence, mainly restricted to two volatile cities on the Afghan-Pakistan border, came as Pakistan's president insisted his support of the US-led coalition reflected the will of the people, and sidelined two top pro-Taliban generals in his government.
One person was killed and 26 were hurt in the southwestern city of Quetta, a doctor said. Authorities in Quetta fired teargas and live ammunition into the air to repel 4,000 demonstrators who torched five cinemas, damaged a bank and burned the police station.
Members of the paramilitary border police were dispatched when local security forces began to lose control, and smoke was billowing from the city's main market at mid-afternoon.
The dead protester was killed by a stray bullet, according to a Quetta hospital doctor. He said six people were wounded by stray bullets and 20 were injured as police wielding clubs and firing tear gas clashed with the protesters. Two of the injured were police officers, he said.
In a separate incident nearby, at least one building at the UN Children's Fund compound near Quetta airport was set on fire this afternoon. Another was attacked and looted by one of the roving groups of protesters ranging around Quetta, Unicef staff said.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Unicef both have offices in the compound that was attacked. The UNHCR office was pelted with stones and the Unicef office burned, spokesmen for both agencies said. They said no one was hurt.
AP