KARACHI: Grand rally calls for OIC summit on West’s ‘plot’: Blasphemous sketches
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 16: The Namoos-i-Risalat rally organized by the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat on Thursday, through a resolution, has appealed to the Organization of Islamic Countries to convene its emergency summit at Masjid-i-Nabavi, Saudi Arabia.
It said that all the rulers at the summit should make the pledge to ensure sanctity of the prophethood, and announce severing of diplomatic and trade ties with all those countries indulging in blasphemy against Islam, as well as boycott of their products. The resolution was unanimously adopted at the rally.
Participants of the rally, who came from different parts of the city, were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against blasphemous caricatures carried by certain European newspapers. They first converged on the Quaid’s mausoleum and then started a march towards the M. A. Jinnah Road. The peaceful march culminated at the Tibet Centre where the participants offered Zuhr prayers before they were addressed by various ulema.
The ulema declared that the series of protest demonstrations and rallies would continue until the Pakistan government snapped diplomatic ties with the European countries, especially Denmark. They demanded that any act of blasphemy against the Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) be declared an act of terrorism, and a culprit be punished accordingly. They maintained that no one could be allowed to indulge in profanity in the name of the freedom of expression.
The ulema condemned violence at the anti-blasphemy rallies in Lahore and Peshawar, and called upon the government to arrest the miscreants instead of ulema, rally leaders and protesters. He called for their release.
Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman, addressing the protesters, said that the rulers must pay heed to the voice of people and act accordingly. He said Munir Shakir, who had committed the act of blasphemy, be awarded capital punishment.
Allama Shah Turabul Haque said that the country was created in the name of Islam and, as such the government must heed the people’s demand of recalling envoys from the countries which had indulged in profanity.
He pointed out that Denmark, Norway and many other countries, instead of tendering an apology, had adopted a stubborn attitude viz-a-viz the blasphemous sketches. He condemned all such countries in strongest terms.
Mufti Mohammad Jan Naeemi said that in order to prevent others from indulging in sacrilege against Islam and its holy personalities, faithful should follow in the footsteps of Hazrat Hussain.
Sahibzada Shah Anas Noorani said the government had miserably failed to represent its citizens at international level with regard to the blasphemy issue. “We reject all the steps it has taken so far in this connection, and will continue with the struggle until we achieved the goal of ensuring sanctity of the prophethood.
Haji Mohammad Hanif Tayyeb condemned as ‘ridiculous’ the EU stand that it could not snatch people’s right to freedom of expression.
Hafiz Mohammad Taqi said that the movement against blasphemy would continue until the achievement of its objective.
Maulana Mohammad Abbas Qadri said that anti-Islam forces had posed a serious challenge to Muslims by attacking their faith.
Others who addressed the rally included Maulana Ghulam Dastagir, Allama Jameel Ahmad Naeemi, Allama Abrar Ahmad Rehmani, Abdul Aleem Qadri, Haji Hanif Biloo, Mohammad Hashim Siddiqui, Tariq Mehboob, Haji Rafique Barkati, Shah Sirajul Haque and Maulana Hamza Ali Qadri.
They vowed to offer any sacrifice for the sanctity of the prophet and prophethood.
Meanwhile, Mufti Mohammad Naeem of the Sunni Majlis-i-Amal, in a statement, said that the publication of sacrilegious sketches was part of the deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by certain western countries, as well as the anti-Islam forces and newspapers, for stirring up a controversy and provoking the Muslim community. He warned that all such countries and forces would have to pay the price.
He deplored that these forces had created a situation conducive to a conflict of civilizations. He observed that the western forces had joined hands against the Ummah, creating the threat of another world war.
PIMA: Doctors and paramedical staff on Thursday took out a rally under the aegis of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, Karachi, in protest against the publication of blasphemous caricatures by certain European newspapers, PPI adds.
Doctors and paramedics from various hospitals, including Jinnah Hospital, Civil Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital, Ziauddin Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, participated in the rally. Their march began from the JPMC and culminated at the NICVD.
The protesters were carrying placards and banners in their hands and were chanting slogans condemning blasphemy.
Addressing the participants, President of PIMA, Karachi, Dr Misbahul Aziz voiced his deep concern over the deliberate attempt to provoke Muslim community around the world.
He appealed to medical professionals to boycott the medicines, equipment and other products from the European countries concerned.
Other speakers at the rally also asked the government to sever diplomatic ties with the countries concerned.
KARACHI, Feb 16: The Namoos-i-Risalat rally organized by the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat on Thursday, through a resolution, has appealed to the Organization of Islamic Countries to convene its emergency summit at Masjid-i-Nabavi, Saudi Arabia.
