Pakistan asks Sweden to punish Quran desecration culprits

ISLAMABAD: A joint sitting of parliament on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution urging the relevant international organisations and states to legislate to criminalise the desecration of holy symbols of religions, including holy books, personalities and places of worship. The resolution urged Sweden to take ‘appropriate steps’ against Holy Quran’s desecration.

The resolution moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbassi strongly condemned the act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden. The resolution stated, “This house urges that relevant international organisations and states must legislate to criminalise desecration of holy symbols of religions including holy books, personalities, places of worship and followers.” Prior to the passage of the resolution, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the joint sitting and condemned the deplorable act and asked the United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to come up with a strategy to prevent such acts, which continue to happen in civilised countries.

He said the desecration of Holy Quran was an attempt to create animosity between Muslims and Christians and any recurrence of such condemnable act would in no way be tolerated. The peaceful protests should not be construed as a weakness, and no one should complain about the consequences if such condemnable actions were repeated, he warned.

The resolution read that the parliament believes in respecting all religions, beliefs and their holy books. It urged that appropriate steps should be taken by the Swedish authorities against the perpetrators, not limited to the legal action, and to ensure that no such act takes place in future.

The resolution also urged that incidents of Islamophobia should be dealt with the same seriousness as hate against other religions. The joint sitting acknowledged and appreciated the convening of the OIC session for providing a platform to compile recommendations and devise a collective future strategy to counter Islamophobia.

The parliament called upon the international community to take appropriate measures for promoting interfaith harmony to ensure that any act that hurts religious sentiments may never take place in future.

Earlier, the prime minister said that desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden was an attempt to invite differences between Muslims and Christians, urging Islamic countries to forcefully raise their voice against the recent despicable incidents at all the forums, including the UN, so that nobody can dare commit such a crime in future.

Shehbaz also asked the Swedish government to clarify as to why the deplorable act was allowed to be done. He said though the Swedish government condemned the desecration of Holy Quran yet there is a question mark as to why it allowed the act.

He said the Swedish government would have to make its policy clear on the matter. He demanded that the person involved in this act should be taken to the task. “It is difficult to imagine that a cursed person desecrated Holy Quran in presence of the police,” he added.

The premier said he would contact the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to convene a meeting of the world body on this matter wherein heads or representatives of all the Islamic countries be invited to express the sentiments of Muslim Ummah. He pointed out that the Pakistani nation and rest of Muslim Ummah were rightful in registering their protest through rallies and expressing anger against the desecration of Holy Quran.

“Those responsible for such incidents will have to repent their acts if happened again,” he said. He said the joint session should also pass a condemnation resolution, suggesting ways and means to curb the provocative acts of disrespecting the divine books and holy personalities.

The prime minister noted that the Islamophobic incidents are a conspiracy aimed at driving a wedge between Muslims and Christians. He also expressed his thanks to Pope Francis for condemning the incident and distancing himself from this profane act.

Shehbaz said the desecration of Holy Quran has aggrieved the entire Pakistani nation and Muslim Ummah. He urged the entire nation, including political and religious parties, to collectively organise protest demonstrations and rallies across the country on Friday (today) to convey a message to the whole world that such Islamophobic acts are intolerable.

He said a committee of the House should also be constituted that should furnish recommendations for prevention of such heinous acts in future. He said the Holy Quran, the last divine book, revealed on Hazrat Muhammad Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, preaches brotherhood, tolerance and harmony. He said the holy book of Muslims contains the names of various prophets, including Jesus Christ as well as Hazrat Maryium. “Being Muslims we respect Jesus Christ as a prophet and all the other religions.”

The prime minister said the sanctity of Holy Quran and Holy Prophet [Peace Be Upon Him] is part of Muslims’ faith and they are always ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz said that strict punishment should be awarded to those involved in Islamophobic acts.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem said the desecration of Holy Quran has hurt the sentiments of entire Muslim Ummah. He said responsibility rests with the Ummah to take appropriate measures to put an end to such horrific acts. Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani suggested that the Foreign Office should effectively engage with the Muslim countries to firm up a joint strategy against Islamophobic acts taking place in the Western world.

Minister for Communication Asad Mahmood regretted that it was not the first incident in Sweden. He said under the pretext of freedom of expression, such acts cannot be allowed. The two houses also offered fateha for the departed souls of those martyred in recent acts of terrorism and rain-related incidents.