Dutch lawmaker cancels blasphemous contest
Geert Wilders said Thursday that he has canceled a planned blasphemous contest.
THE HAGUE (AP) - Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders says he has canceled a planned blasphemous contest following death threats and concerns other people could be put at risk.
In a written statement issued Thursday night, Wilders said “to avoid the risk of victims of violence, I have decided not to let the blasphemous contest go ahead.”
Wilders, who has for years lived under round-the-clock protection because of death threats sparked by his fierce anti-Islam rhetoric, said he does not want others endangered by the contest he planned for November.
The contest was to have been held at the tightly guarded offices of his Party for Freedom in the Dutch parliament building.
The planned contest sparked angry protests in Pakistan and a death threat this week from a 26-year-old man, reportedly a Pakistani, who was arrested Tuesday in The Hague.
Supporters of Pakistani religious group led by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, leader of Tehreek-i-Labaik, launched a march from Lahore toward Islamabad on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker’s plans to hold blasphemous contest later this year.
Thousands of supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group set out on the march Wednesday, calling on PM Imran Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.
The planned contest sparked angry protests in Pakistan. Protesters shout slogans during a protest In Karachi against the planned sacrilegious contest.
Authorities place shipping containers at the entrance of diplomatic enclave in Islamabad Thursday. The religious parties’ protesters who started a march toward the capital to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker’s plans to hold a sacrilegious contest have been stopped by police.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced to move Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to raise issue of sacrilegious caricature contest in the United Nations (UN).
The premier—in his video message released on social media sites—said West doesn’t understand the notion that Muslims’ perspective towards religion is quite different from theirs.
Khan added West doesn’t understand intensity of pain inflicted on the Muslims via such repeated blasphemous acts.
“I’ve directed Shah Mehmood Qureshi to make contacts with Muslim countries to bring them on the same page. God willing, we will lodge strong protest against sacrilegious content”, vowed Khan.
“Prophet (PBUH) lives in the heart of every Muslim”, stated Khan.
Earlier Thursday, a Dutch judge extended by two weeks the detention of the man, reportedly a Pakistani, who allegedly threatened to attack Wilders.
Prosecutors said in a statement that an investigating judge ordered the suspect held while he is investigated on charges of making a terrorist threat, making preparations for a terrorist murder and incitement.
The Dutch government had been at pains to distance itself from the contest.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week questioned Wilders’ motive for organizing the contest. “His aim is not to have a debate about Islam. His aim is to be provocative,” the prime minister said.
