Pakistani National Assembly ( lower house of parliament) on Monday strongly condemned the publication of a "derogatory" cartoon in the Washington Times, asking the government to lodge a strong protest with the United States, The Nation reported Tuesday.

The National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution moved by ruling Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, wherein the House called for an apology for publishing the cartoon showing Pakistan as a dog loyal to Washington.

"The House strongly condemns the publication of the cartoon and demand the Pakistani government to protest with the US government and ask the newspaper to tender an apology," the resolution was quoted as saying.

On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Office also condemned the publication of the "highly derogatory" cartoon and demanded an inquiry to know the motives behind the move.

"Pakistan has asked for an inquiry to be conducted and the US administration has also expressed its displeasure over its publication and they are issuing an advisory to this effect," Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani told a weekly press briefing in Islamabad.

The Washington Times last week published a cartoon showing a dog as Pakistan with a US soldier, who keeps his right hand on the dog while appreciating the arrest of senior al-Qaeda member Abu Faraj.

"Good boy! Now let's go find bin Laden," the US soldier tells the dog, who holds Faraj in his mouth.

Faraj was apprehended last week in the tribal area by the Pakistani intelligence agencies. He was believed to be al-Qaeda's No.3 and know the hideouts of the terrorist group's leader bin Laden.

Source: Xinhua