Blasphemous caricatures: France president's remarks sparked anger among Muslims, says Qureshi
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that increasing incidents of anti-Islam are unacceptable.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday told that French ambassador has been summoned to record strong protest against blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).
In a statement, the foreign minister said that the caricatures have sparked anger among the Muslim community across the globe and demanded the United Nations (UN) to take action in this regard.
He said that the irresponsible statements of France president Emmanuel Macron have further intensified the matter. No one will be allowed to hurt the emotions of the Muslims, he clarified.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that increasing incidents of anti-Islam are unacceptable. The seeds of hate that are being cultivated today will polarize the society and have serious consequences, he told.
On the instructions of the PM, the minister said a comprehensive resolution will be presented at the next meeting of the OIC foreign ministers, proposing to observe 15th March as the international day against Islamophobia.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that French President Emmanuel Macron had hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims in Europe and across the world by attacking Islam without having any understanding of it.
PM Imran Khan, in a tweet said that hallmark of a leader is he unites human beings, as Mandela did, rather than dividing them. This is a time when President Macron could have put healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarisation and marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalisation, he said.
Condemning statement of French President, Imran Khan said it is unfortunate that he has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by attacking Islam rather than the terrorists who carry out violence, be it Muslims, White Supremacists or Nazi ideologists.
The PM said sadly, President Macron has chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims, including his own citizens.
Later, the premier had written to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook asking for Facebook to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam that has been put in place for the Holocaust.
“I am writing to draw your attention to the growing Islamophobia that is encouraging hate, extremism and violence across the world and especially through the use of social media platforms including Facebook. I appreciate your taking the step to rightly ban any posting that criticizes or questions the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom of the Jews in Germany and across Europe as Nazis spread across Europe."
"The message of hate must be banned in total – one cannot send a message that while hate messages against some are unacceptable, these are acceptable against others. Nor should the world have to wait for a pogrom against Muslims, which is ongoing in countries like India and in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to be completed before Islamophobia is banned. This in itself is reflective of prejudice and bias that will encourage further radicalization.”
