ISLAMABAD: Strongly condemning the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden, parliament in its specially-convened joint sitting on Thursday passed a unanimous resolution, urging Swedish authorities to take “appropriate steps against the perpetrator(s), including but not limited to legal action and to ensure that no such act takes place in future”.

Through the resolution tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi after a brief debate on the incident, the lawmakers also called for “dealing the incidents of lslamophobia with the same seriousness as hate against other religions”.

The government had convened the joint sitting of the parliament, which was earlier scheduled to be held on July 10, to debate and register its protest over the incident which took place last week when a man burned a copy of the Holy Quran outside Stockholm’s central mosque on the first day of Eidul Azha, drawing strong criticism from several Muslim countries, as well as the European Union.

The carefully-drafted resolution also urges relevant international organisations and states to legislate to criminalise desecration of holy symbols of religions, including holy books, personalities, places of worship and followers, stating that “this House believes in respecting all religions, beliefs and their holy books”.

Parliamentary resolution urges states to criminalise desecration of religious symbols

“This House resolves that the international community take appropriate measures for promoting interfaith harmony to ensure that any act that hurts religious sentiments may never take place in future,” reads the resolution, which also “acknowledged and appreciated the convening of the OIC session for providing platform to compile recommendations and devise a collective future strategy to counter lslamophobia.”

General debate

Earlier, the lawmakers including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in their fiery speeches expressed concern over the rising incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran and blasphemous acts against Islamic personalities in the western world in the name of freedom of expression and demanded the United Nations play its role in this regard to promote peace and harmony among the world communities.

Though they welcomed the Swedish government’s decision to distance itself from the incident and term it an individual’s act, they called for legal and punitive action against the person who desecrated the Holy Quran outside a mosque under the protection of the police.

Taking advantage of the situation and presence of the prime minister, Asad Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) raised internal political matters and protested over the state policy regarding registration of religious seminaries (Madaris) in the country. Concluding his lengthy speech, Mr Mehmood, who is also the minister for communications, said that he had pointed out some issues on the floor of the house and he would take up the matter forcefully in the federal cabinet as well.

Opening the debate, PM Shehbaz termed the incident an attempt to create animosity between the Muslims and Christians. He requested National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf to constitute a committee of the house to formulate recommendations suggesting steps to prevent such incidents in future. These recommendations, he said, could also be presented at the international forums.

The prime minister said that he had been trying to approach the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres to convene an urgent session, invite the Muslim world leaders and adopt a condemnation resolution.

“I will also ask him [the UN secretary general] to warn such governments and individuals against such acts aimed at fanning hatred,” he said.

PM Shehbaz also lauded former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Arden for her support of Muslims after an Islamophobic attack, which was a positive attempt to establish peace between Muslims and Christians. He also thanked Pope Francis for condemning the act, saying his dissociation of such Islamophobic action gave a positive message.

Welcoming the “belated condemnation” by the Swedish government, he said it would have to clarify its position and answer as to why it allowed such an act under the protection of police on the day when the Muslims were celebrating Eidul Azha.

Asking political and religious parties to bring out rallies after Friday prayers today, the prime minister said peaceful protests should not be construed as weakness, adding that otherwise no one should complain about the consequences, if such condemnable actions were repeated.

“It will be my responsibility to send the resolution and recommendations to the parliament of Sweden and all the world forums,” he said.

The speaker later adjourned the joint sitting till July 25.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023