ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday warned against politically exploiting the purely religious issue of the publication of blasphemous sketches by some European newspapers.

He was talking to reporters at the Prime Minister’s House here.

The premier said: “Every Muslim has been deeply hurt by the publication of blasphemous material and cannot tolerate any such thing without (expressing a) strong reaction,” the prime minister said.

He said that the purely religious issue should not be used for political gains, adding: “The government will not allow anyone to create a law and order situation on pretext of protest demonstrations.”

He said damage to public and private property in recent protests in Lahore and Peshawar had cost the nation a lot, as it was the common man who suffered.

Criticizing the burning of private property, he said it would be a serious setback for many as it was their only means of livelihood.

He also recalled Sunday’s protest in Islamabad, where no damage to property occurred and said no one had been hurt because of tough security measures taken by the government.

The government, he said, had no objection to protests if they were peaceful, but it would not allow any kind of violence.

He said the matter would be discussed during his meeting with the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference on Tuesday.

“The entire Ummah has expressed its concerns and reservations over the issue and we need to sit together and present a unanimous view to the United Nations and the world.”

Mr Aziz termed the publication of the blasphemous sketches a reflection of “lack of sensitivity” on part of the newspaper’s publishers.

He said under the government’s strategy, the European Union would be urged to legislate to ensure that such events did not recur in future.

The prime minister said legislation was the only long-term solution to the issue.

“We do firmly believe in the freedom of press,” he said, “but freedom does not allow anyone to act in a way that hurts the feelings and sentiments of a large section of the world people, professing any belief.”

The prime minister said the government was in contact with the opposition at different levels and was trying to seek a resolution of the issue through negotiations.

Referring to the sugar crisis, he said that the Utility Stores Corporation’s quota was being increased to 30,000 tons a month from 22,000 tons and measures had been taken to discourage hoarding.

He said the government would use the Trading Corporation of Pakistan’s reserves to release more sugar into the open market to lower the commodity’s prices.

Premier Aziz said a decline in international market would affect the domestic price of sugar. He gave an overview of the measures being taken to provide the commodity at Rs27.50 per kilogramme by mobile centres and weekly bazaars all across the country.

The prime minister appreciated the private sector’s role and said a private company, ARY, would launch its programme to provide sugar at cheaper rates.

He said he had also asked the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association to make public their stocks so that the people could know the facts.

Referring to the money pledged at the donors conference, the prime minister said that of the $6.4 billion, $4 billion had been pledged as soft loans while the rest of the amount was grants.

He said the economic affairs division was coordinating with donor countries and would decide which soft loans to take and which to abandon.

He said the pace of reconstruction and rehabilitation activity would not be affected by a lack of funds, adding that the flow of money was continuous.

The prime minister said construction would begin soon in the quake-affected areas in the AJK and the NWFP.