Repeated publication of blasphemous cartoons is a challenge to the Muslim world : Sirajul Haq

Lahore: Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Sirajul Haq, has said that the entire Muslim world was in protest over the blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the situation demanded an immediate legislation by the United Nations safeguarding the respect and the dignity of all the Prophets (AS) of God and other religious personalities and declaring blasphemy of all these a crime.

Talking to different delegations in Karachi on arrival, he said that a particular group of Europe had been carrying out the blasphemy of the Noble Prophet (SAW) in the name of freedom of opinion and secularism, as was intolerable.

Sirajul Haq said that the Muslim rulers, as representatives of the one a half billion Muslims in the world, should have immediately convened a meeting of the OIC and the United Nations to lodge their protest with Europe in this regard. However, he said, that the silence of the Muslim rulers had compelled the Muslim Ummah to express their sentiments. He said that if France and other European states did not change their attitude, the Muslim world reserved the right to give them a befitting response.

The JI chief said the repeated publication of blasphemous cartoons was a challenge to the Muslim world and the Muslims accepted the challenged.

Sirajul Haq said that the Muslims were not extremists as it was Europe that had been demonstrating extremism. He pointed out that Europe had given shelter to Salman Rushdi and Tasleem Nasreen who were guilty of blasphemy, and added that these were also acts of terrorism and extremism and led to trouble in the world. Why do the Europeans give shelter to the individuals involved in the blasphemy of any religion, he asked.

He said that the JI would hold million marches in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad on Friday next. this would not be a  protest by any single party, it would be million march by the Pakistanis, he said and added,  “if Europe can gather one a half million people, we can also gather millions to register our protest”.

The JI chief said that he would also write letters to the envoys of the European union and also the German  Chancellor on the issue.He said that every human being had the right of freedom of opinion but nobody could be allowed to sacrilege of any religion or the Islamic signs and symbols.

Sirajul Haq condemned the police firing on the peaceful Islami Jamiat e Talaba rally on Friday and said such behaviour was uncalled for. He said that firing and lathi charge on the  protesting students was an attempt to provoke the students and turn the protest violent.

He regretted the injuries caused to journalists and students due to the police firing and expressed full solidarity with the media and the students community in his regard, and prayed for quick recovery of the injured journalists and students.

Meanwhile,The top leaders of the Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC) have appealed to the nation to join the million marches being staged on next Friday against the publication of blasphemous caricatures by a French weekly to demonstrate to the west that such sacrilege was a grave threat to the world peace.

MYC chairman Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair, Secretary General, Liaqat Baloch and other central leaders, said that the west, especially Europe had challenged the dignity and the faith of the Muslim world through the blasphemous cartoons which was intolerable and the faithful were prepared to offer their lives for the love of the beloved Prophet (SAW).

They called upon the government to convene an emergency OIC meeting and move a unanimous resolution in the United Nations for necessary legislation in Europe and the US to prohibit the blasphemy of the all the Prophets(AS) so as to put an end to such incidents in future.

The MYC leaders said that this was an issue of the whole Ummah and all the faithful should register their protest by joining the Million March especially planned in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore,  sinking their minor differences. They said that incidents of blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (SAW) had become a common practice in the west, and the Muslims of all sects and factions should rise as one man for safeguarding the sanctity and the respect of the Holy Prophet(SAW).

Meanwhile, deputy Chief of the Jamaat e Islami, Hafiz Muhammad Ameer, while addressing the workshop the Tanzeem e Asataza, Pakistan, at Mansoora, on Saturday, said that the forces of Kufr had displayed worst form of terrorism by hurting the sentiments of the one and a half billion Muslims.

He said that no doubt, all those publishing these caricatures of the Holy Prophet( SAW) could not escape divine wrath. However, he said that the indifference of the Muslim rulers in this regard was most deplorable. He stressed that the Muslim states should suspend all ties with France immediately unless till the French government tendered an unconditional apology and destroyed all the blasphemous  material.