Hundreds of people have taken to the streets across Pakistan to protest a NATO crossborder air strike that killed at least 24 Pakistani soldiers.
At the largest rally, held outside the U.S. consulate in the port city of Karachi, protesters burned an effigy of President Barack Obama and shouted: "Stay away Americans. Pakistan is ours. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our army."
Meanwhile, in the northwestern city of Peshawar, army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani led mourners in funeral prayers at military headquarters.
The November 26 incident, which took place at two remote border posts in the tribal district of Mohmand, has heightened already tense relations between Pakistan and the United States and NATO.
Pakistan said it was closing key supply routes for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan and also demanded Washington leave a base used by American drones.
In Islamabad, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said his ministry would ensure that the supply route remained shut down.
"Not only I, the whole nation condemns [the NATO air strike]. Whatever has happened, we don't and we never expected that it would happen from allies," Malik said.
"Not only I, the whole nation condemns [the NATO air strike]. Whatever has happened, we don't and we never expected that it would happen from allies," Malik said.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar telephoned U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to express Pakistan's "deep sense of rage" at the air strike.
In a statement, Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta offered their "deepest condolences" for the deaths.
NATO has apologized, calling it a "tragic unintended incident" and is investigating what happened.
compiled from agency reports
