ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked Sweden to clear its position on a recent incident of the Holy Quran’s desecration in Stockholm, adding Pakistan respected freedom of speech but would not tolerate any kind of “propaganda against Muslims”.
He said the desecration of Holy Quran was an attempt to create animosity between the Muslims and Christians and any recurrence of such condemnable act would in no way be tolerated.
The prime minister, in his address to the joint sitting of the parliament, urged the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres to convene a special session to invite the Muslim world leaders, adopt a condemnatory resolution and also warn the Swedish government and such individuals against the recurrence of such condemnable act.
He urged National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to form a committee with a mandate to formulate recommendations for their onward dissemination to the world including international organisations so that such acts could be prevented.
He said as per their belief, Muslims revered all of the religions and revealed books including Bible as Holy Quran taught patience and harmony. He said despite that, such deliberate Islamophobic acts were being carried out to pit Muslims against Christians.
He said that despite their belated condemnation, the Swedish government would have to clarify its position as to why they allowed such an act under the protection of their police on the day when the Muslims were celebrating Eid-ul-Azha.
The prime minister urged the parliamentarians to condemn the act of Swedish police and make it clear that the Muslims could even sacrifice their lives to protect the sanctity of the Quran. He said the peaceful protests should not be construed as weakness and that no one should complain about the consequences if such condemnable actions were repeated.
He said as the country would observe the Sanctity of Holy Quran Day on Friday, the whole nation should stage rallies across the country to condemn the desecration of Quran and convey their sentiments to the world.
Calling for using all political and legal options to avert recurrence of such acts, the prime minister also thanked the OIC for convening a special meeting in which they also adopted a condemnatory resolution and put forward suggestions. He said Pakistan was not against the freedom of speech but no one had the right to desecrate any one’s belief or fan hatred in this garb.
Prime Minister Shehbaz urged the House to put forward suggestions which would be raised at the UN platform to tell the world that the billions of Muslims will not allow such hateful acts to be repeated.
“This is beyond tolerance. This is not the first time as earlier too, same thing happened in Sweden. This must be condemned in the strongest possible words,” he remarked.
The prime minister recalled and appreciated the former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her support to the Muslims, after an Islamophobic attack against Muslims, which was a positive attempt to establish peace between Muslims and Christians.
He told the House that he was trying to contact with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to request him for convening an urgent session to invite the Muslim leaders and adopt a condemnatory resolution. I will also ask him to warn such governments and individuals against redoing such acts aimed at fanning hatred, he added.
The prime minister thanked Pope Francis for condemning the act saying his dissociation of such Islamophobic action gave a positive image.
The prime minister said he would convey the parliamentary resolution to the Swedish government as the Foreign Office was also making its due efforts on the diplomatic fronts.
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