PESHAWAR, Feb 10: Women parliamentarians from various political parties have condemned the foreign media for printing blasphemous cartoons and termed it terrorism of the West against Muslims.

“Hurting sentiments of the Muslims all over the world by publishing blasphemous caricatures is an act of terrorism itself. The US should take notice of such terrorist acts which ignite the people to go on violent protests,” they said.

Speaking at a press conference here, the women legislators of Jamaat-i-Islami (women’s wing), Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League, PML-N, Pakistan People’s Party, PPP-Sherpao and Jamiat Ulemai-i-Islam said that people should boycott products of all those countries where these cartoons had been published.

They demanded that the government should sever diplomatic and economic ties with those countries.

“Ridiculing someone’s religion is tantamount to violation of basic human rights,” said Farah Aqil Shah, an MPA of the ANP.

Criticising the government for not severing diplomatic ties with those western countries, she accused it of ‘being insensitive’ owing to the so-called enlightened moderation.

JI leader Shagufta Naz said that all the Muslim countries should adopt a policy of social boycott of Denmark, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Hungry, Poland and other countries where blasphemous cartoons had been reproduced.

She said that this boycott should continue until these countries tendered an apology. The women legislators noted that the NWFP government had already protested and condemned the outrageous act and asked the federal government to follow suit.

They said that the ruling Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the opposition in the NWFP were united on the issue and called upon the United Nations and International Court of Justice to take action against those who had hurt the sentiments of the Muslims in the name of the freedom of speech.

They also urged the Organisation of Islamic Conference to play an active role under the circumstances. They said that President Pervez Musharraf should raise the issue in the UN.