HYDERABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and officials of revenue department organised rallies in a number of Sindh towns on Monday in protest against French government’s support of blasphemous caricatures.

The protesters’ leaders urged the government to sever diplomatic relations with France and boycott the country’s products.

In Hyderabad, activists of Jamaat-i-Islami’s women wing staged a rally outside local press club where the party leader Aisha Waheed said that French government must understand that every Muslim, be he a child, youth, elder or woman, was ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of honour of their Prophet (PBUH).

She slammed double standards of world powers on the issue of blasphemy and urged the United Nations to make a law that ensured respect for all prophets. The government should immediately sever diplomatic ties with France, she said, calling for boycott of all French products.

JI deputy emir Asadullah Bhutto said at an oath-taking ceremony for new Hyderabad emir the other day that publication of blasphemous caricatures had now exposed the West.

He criticised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and United Nations for ignoring the issue and said in case of any reaction from Muslims these same forums would come alive and quickly label them as terrorists.

SUKKUR: JUI-F activists and members of All Revenue Employees Association took out separate rallies in Jacobabad in protest against publication of blasphemous caricatures in France.

The JUI-F leaders Dr A.G. Ansari, Syed Abdul Basit Shah, Abdul Jabbar Rind and others said in their speeches at the gathering that Pakistan should immediately convene a conference of Islamic countries to formulate a befitting response to France.

They urged boycott of French products in all Muslim countries and said that the rulers who did not tire of talking about state of Madina should give a strong response to France by severing diplomatic ties with the country.

The All Revenue Employees Association began the rally from their office and terminated it at press club where the participants held a sit-in and chanted slogans against France.

The protesters’ leaders said that publication of blasphemous caricatures had deeply hurt sentiments of millions of Muslims across the world.

They demanded the Pakistani government take serious notice of the blasphemy and give a befitting reply to France by convening a conference of Islamic countries.

In Kandhkot, local chapter of JUI-F took out a rally which culminated at clock tower roundabout where the participants raised slogans and the leaders made speeches.

They demanded an immediate end to diplomatic ties with France and imposition of strict ban on sale and purchase of French products.

MIRPURKHAS: Scores of revenue officials staged a rally and held a demonstration outside local press club against French government’s support of blasphemous caricatures.

Led by additional commissioner, the rally marched through main roads before arriving at local press club where the participants staged a demonstration.

The protesters’ leaders condemned the publication of blasphemous caricatures and urged the Pakistan government to expel French ambassador, cut off all ties with the country and boycott its products.

They pledged that they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of upholding the honour of their Prophet (PBUH) and warned that no enemy of Islam should take their calmness for weakness because they were still exercising restraint in the light of commandments of their Prophet who always preferred peace over war and preached universal brotherhood.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2020