KARACHI, Feb 28: A high-level meeting, chaired by Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, passed a resolution condemning the publication of blasphemous caricatures in newspapers in Denmark and some other European countries.
The meeting, held at the Governor’s House, was participated by religious scholars, educationists, industrialists, intellectuals, editors of principal newspapers and senior journalists.
State Minister for Religious Affairs, Dr Aamir Liaquat; provincial ministers Rauf Siddiqui and Maznoor Hussain Panhwar; Information Adviser Salahuddin Hyder; City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal; Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman; Sindh IGP Jehangir Mirza; DG Rangers Maj-Gen Javed Zia; CCPO, DIG operation, additional secretary home and other officials were also present on the occasion.
The resolution demanded that those who committed blasphemy should be brought before the International Court of Justice and punished so that no individual, organization or country could dare to hurt the followers of any religion in the name of freedom of expression.
It called for adopting a three-pronged strategy by Muslim Ummah registering civilized protest at international level through organizations like the OIC; holding academic dialogue bringing non-Muslims closer to Islam; and pressurizing countries on a unanimous piece of legislation whereby no country, individual or organization could hurt the feelings of other countries, organizations and people of any religion.
The meeting resolved to continue the ongoing protest by Muslim Ummah against publication of blasphemous images and convert it into academic and opinion-making demonstrations so that the world could be conveyed an effective message on the issue of blasphemy.
Through the resolution the Muslims were appealed to refrain from violence while recording their protest and avoid damaging properties as this would bolster the enemies and cause harm to the mission. It is, therefore, necessary that a place be allocated where peaceful protest could be registered.
It was suggested in the resolution that boycotting the products of countries publishing blasphemous cartoons was not only the responsibility of government but people as well.
Addressing the meeting, Ishratul Ibad said that publication of blasphemous sketches had hurt every Muslim and expression of sentiments by people here, in fact, reflected feelings of the entire Muslim Ummah.
Those who presented various suggestions for carrying out peaceful protests included former federal minister Haji Mohammed Hanif Tayyab, Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association Abdul Sami Khan, Maulana Shah Turabul Huq Qadri, prominent industrialists Majid Aziz, Rais Ashraf Mohammed, Capt Moiz, Maulana Umar Sadiq, Mohammed Hussain Masoodi of Jafaria Alliance, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, Mahmodul Aziz, Mahmood Sham, Ajmal Dehlavi, Mukhtar Aaqil, Hummaa Ahmed, Maulana Sad Thanvi, Hafiz Mohammed Saeed Salafi, Maulana Mohammed Adil, Zafar Iqbal, Dr Asim Hussian, Nasrullah Shaji.
The governor in his concluding remarks said that the meeting was convened to have cross views for far-reaching outcome. He said our protest must continue because this was an issue of 1.30billion Muslims.
He said: “We will also constitute an Ulema Council which will be provided with legal cover and full authority to work on religious harmony and other issues.”
The resolution was presented by Maulana Shah Turabul Haq and adopted unanimously. —APP
