ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that Pakistan will ask for international legislation banning blasphemy against all prophets and terming it cognizable offence.

“Whereas this act (of publication of blasphemous cartoons) has hurt the sentiments of all Muslims, irrespective of their affiliation with a religious party or otherwise, the government stands by its people in condemning this act.”

He was presiding over the 95th Corps Commanders Conference which was held at the General Headquarters here on Tuesday. All corps commanders and principal staff officers attended the conference.

The participants reviewed the internal and external security situation with particular reference to the situation arising out of the publication of blasphemous cartoons in western media.

The president strongly condemned these publications. He said Pakistan had already condemned this act at all forums in October 2005. Pakistan wrote a letter to the Danish government condemning the blasphemy.

“Our Ambassador in Denmark along with six other Ambassadors of OIC countries made a strong demarche to the Danish prime minister. In December 2005, our permanent representative in Geneva, in his capacity as the Chairman of the OIC Group in Geneva, addressed a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights seeking his intervention with Denmark to help stem out this outrage against Islam”.

He said that at Pakistan’s initiative, the 60th session of UN General Assembly in December 2005 adopted a resolution calling upon the international community to combat defamation of all religions and curb the tendency of Islamophobia. “On February 14, an extraordinary meeting of the OIC was also held in Jeddah due to our efforts which adopted a resolution condemning the blasphemy”.

President said that Pakistan, in fact, was in the lead of all Muslim countries at all these forums.

It was unanimously viewed by all the participants that “we shall not allow any person or group to exploit this event for political or vested interests. Unfortunately, some with malicious intent have created law and order problem and situation of insecurity for foreign investors.

Those who have indulged in violence causing loss of life and property of their brethren and exploited this situation are actually indulging in unethical and criminal act and we shall deal with these unscrupulous elements with stern hand”.

President Musharraf reaffirmed the resolve that no-one “shall be allowed to disturb law and order situation and measures will be taken to protect the life and property of the citizen”.

The participants were also briefed on the situation in Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The president appreciated the efforts of security personnel who were engaged in maintaining the law and order both in Balochistan and Fata.

They were also briefed on enhancement of army’s capabilities and acquisition of new equipment to combat terrorism.