March 01, 2008	Saturday	Safar 22, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 29: Christians join in the protest demonstrations being staged in the metropolis against the publication of blasphemous caricatures in Denmark and their reprint in different newspapers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.

A protest rally, staged in this regard outside the Karachi Press Club on Friday, was part of the “Tahaffuz Namoos-i-Mustafa (PBUH) campaign” launched by the Jamaat-i-Islami.

Besides JI leaders Asadullah Bhutto, Mohammad Hussain Mehanti and Muslim Pervez, Bishop Ejaz Inayat and others addressed the demonstrators. They said that they simply could not understand the motive behind the publication of such caricatures unless it was hatred for Islam. The objective was to stir controversy and precipitate a clash of civilisations, they said, adding that Muslims and Christians would foil this conspiracy.

Bishop Inayat said that the publication of the caricatures was a deep conspiracy to destroy the world’s peace by provoking the religious sentiments of Muslims. He said that Muslims were not alone in their protests against such publications, but Christian community members had also taken to the streets in their support.

Asadullah Bhutto said that such incidents would never be tolerated. And it was high time that Muslim and Christian communities joined hands to foil the conspiracy of hatred mongers.