LAHORE, Sept 1: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned on Wednesday a threat to the lives of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq by militants demanding France revoke its ban on head scarves in schools.

"This is an act of barbarianism that must be protested in the strongest possible terms," said HRCP Secretary-General Hina Jilani in a statement issued here. She said the announcement on Tuesday that militants holding journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunol had extended the deadline set for their execution by six hours, and it came only as a terrible reminder of the horror being enacted in Iraq.

It was time the Muslims around the world disassociate themselves from such acts, she said. She said the HRCP had consistently condemned all forms of terrorism and was now doing so once more in the light of appalling situation in Iraq.

It also called for immediate measures by the international community to bring the suffering of all those caught up in terrible aftermath of conflict in Iraq to an end, and to ensure the Iraqi people were granted their right to self-rule without further delay.

Mr Jilani said in view of the latest situation, it was imperative that Muslim women around the world made it clear that the militants guilty of barbarianism in Iraq in no way represented them, or voiced their political or religious concerns. Their actions had already tarnished the image of Islam, and threatened to inflict still worse damage in the future.

She said it was sad that so far, there had been only limited expression of outrage over events in Iraq, and the recent acts of violence including the execution of two Pakistanis last month. This silence must now be ended, and the terrible events in Iraq protested by both the government and all citizens, strongly and without ambiguity, she said.