Pak protests: FO summons French ambassador over blasphemous sketches

French president's statement served as fuel for burning, No one has the right to hurt millions of Muslims: Foreign Minister

By News Desk Last updated Oct 26, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The French ambassador to Pakistan has been summoned to the Foreign Office over the issue of advertisement of blasphemous sketches in France. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that irresponsible statements of the President of France have added fuel to the fire. Not to hurt millions of Muslims under the guise of freedom of expression.

A statement issued by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the blasphemous sketches have caused outrage all over the world. The United Nations should immediately take notice of this hate speech against Islam and stop such acts.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the French ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office to record Pakistan’s protest on the issue of blasphemous sketches. He said that the seeds of hatred being sown today would have dire consequences. The measures will increase violent attitudes and further divide society.

The Foreign Minister lamented the statement of the President of France and said that the irresponsible statements of the President of France added fuel to the fire. No one has the right to speak to millions of Muslims around the world under the guise of freedom of expression.

The Foreign Minister said that this is not the first time this has happened. Some time ago, Charlie Hebdo published blasphemous sketches which every Pakistani protested and condemned in strong words. Sometimes incidents of burning of Holy Quran come to light. Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke out against Islamophobia and Islamophobia at this year’s UN General Assembly.

Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also demanded from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that just as Holocaust-based material is not published, so too is the publication of blasphemous material against Islam on social networking sites should also be stopped.

The Foreign Minister said that he would present a comprehensive resolution at the next meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which would include hate speech against Islam, effective strategy against Islamophobia and 15 March will be celebrated as the International Day Against Islamophobia.