ISLAMABAD, March 5: The Foreign Office said on Wednesday that Pakistan was in no hurry to return to the Commonwealth.

Spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said at his weekly press briefing that the decision to rejoin the organisation would be taken in due course by the government at an appropriate time.

When asked about motives behind the republication of blasphemous Danish cartoons and Dutch legislator Geert Wilders’ anti-Quran film, he said: “I believe that some quarters are engaging in blasphemy as a political agenda to promote xenophobia in Europe and hurt the feelings of Muslim communities across the world.”

He said the upcoming summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) would be discussing the issue.

“Wilders’ film reflects his biased, bigoted thinking and it has nothing to do with the right of freedom of expression. Distinction must be drawn between freedom of expression and licence to insult,” he emphasised.

About Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Mr Sadiq said Pakistan was concerned about developments that could lead to instability in Iran.

“Pakistan opposes any coercive measure that could further escalate tensions in the region.”

Reiterating Pakistan’s position on the issue, he said Pakistan recognised Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear technology.

AFP adds: Pakistan on Wednesday said it had summoned The Netherlands’ ambassador to the foreign ministry over the controversial film made by a Dutch right-wing politician.

“The Dutch ambassador was called to the Foreign Office and a demarche was made,” Mr Sadiq said at the briefing, referring to a diplomatic form of protest.

Pakistan had also raised the issue in Brussels, the Vatican and The Hague, he said.

Geert Wilders, who is planning to broadcast his film online and negotiating with several television channels, has complained that the Dutch government is pressuring him to cancel the project.

Mr Sadiq said that “bigoted and blasphemous” Danish cartoons and Wilders’ film were tantamount to propagating “politics of hate and promoting xenophobia in Europe”.

Last month Pakistan caused an accidental global blackout of YouTube when it blocked the website at home for carrying “blasphemous” cartoons.