KARACHI: Activists of political and religious parties, trade bodies, human rights and social organisations observed Youm-i-Taqaddus-i-Quran in several Sindh towns in response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s appeal by staging processions, demonstrations and conferences to condemn desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden last week.

The speakers at the gatherings demanded in unison severe action against the right-wing extremists, who were carrying out such abominable acts unabatedly under government protection in Europe.

In Karachi, a large number of people took out processions and held demonstrations in different parts of the city. Activists of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz took out a procession from different parts of the city and converged on the Karachi Press Club.

“The procession was addressed by senior party leaders at the press club where the participants also passed a resolution condemning the desecration of the holy book,” said the PML-N Karachi secretary Nasiruddin Mahmood in a statement.

Activists of Jamaat-i- Islami staged 500 demonstrations after Friday prayers across Karachi against the Sweden incident. “A large number of Karachiites belonging to all walks of life participated in the protests,” said a statement issued by the party.

The protesters, chanting slogans against the contemptible act, demanded the world community take concrete measures to ensure that the hateful act was not repeated again.

The JI leaders urged the United Nations in their speeches to criminalise discrimination against Islam as well as other religions.

Workers of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan staged a procession after Friday prayers from Tower to the Karachi Press Club where the party leaders demanded in their addresses the Swedish government take severe action against the right-wing extremist, who had set ablaze a copy of the holy book.

They warned if the Swedish government ignored the Muslim world’s demand, its consequences for the world peace could be worse.

Activists of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) staged a demonstration near Numaish traffic intersection and slammed “state permission and police protection” given to those who were involved in the nefarious act.

Demanding an immediate collective response from the Muslim world, the MWM leaders said that ties with the European country should be severed until the culprits were punished and called upon Muslim rulers and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries to take strict action against the incident.

In Hyderabad, several religious and political parties brought out processions during rain after Friday prayers to condemn desecration of the holy book in Sweden. The processions mostly culminated outside local press club.

Women and Children also participated in the protest while prayer leaders condemned the incident in their Friday sermons and demanded the government take concrete action in this regard.

Lawyers also boycotted courts on the call of Sindh Bar Council and High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Hyderabad chapter staged a demonstration. HCBA president Yusuf Leghari, general secretary Taj Mohammad Keerio and others rejected the plea that it was freedom of expression because the incident had hurt sentiments of millions of Muslims.

Activists of PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl staged also staged protests outside local press club. They said the incident was intolerable and blamed world Jewish lobby for inciting people to fight each other in the name of religion.

JI Hyderabad chapter organised protests at Hyder Chowk and other places in the city.

JUI-Samiullah, Tahreek-i-Janisaran-i-Khatm-i- Nabuwwat and other religious groups also brought out processions, urging the OIC to take steps against the tragedy on international level.

In Larkana, workers of JI, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST), Sunni Rabita Committee and other organisations led by Moulana ali Nawaz Qasmi, Qasim Saeed, general secretary of JI Sindh chapter, and others staged a demonstration outside Larkana Press Club.

The leaders demanded action against the perpetrator and termed the incident as hurtful for the sentiments of Muslims. Such incidents were now happening routinely in the world as part of physiological war and they were not satisfied with mere condemnation of the incident by the United Nations, they said.

They demanded concrete steps to curb such actions and as well as tendencies and urged the government to expel Swedish ambassador after calling back his Pakistani counterpart. They also called for a boycott of Swedish products. In Mirpurkhas, workers of PST, TLP, JI, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, All City Tajir Ittehad, lawyers and other members of general public took out processions here on Friday to protest against Sweden incident.

The protesters carrying banners and placards and raising slogans against the Sweden government marched on main roads before converging on local press club where their leaders hit out at the Swedish government for allowing desecration of the holy book and urged it to take legal action against the perpetrator.

They demanded the Pakistan government ensure boycott of the European country and raise voice against it in the United Nations. Similar protests were held in Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Jhuddo, Naukot and Kot Ghulam Mohammad towns.

In Badin, activists of JI held a demonstration outside local press club where the leaders said the abominable incident on Eid day was callous and heart breaking and part of a conspiracy to destroy world peace.

They urged the international community to take strong measures against the conspiracy to destroy world peace by such insolent actions. If the international community did not open its eyes the consequences could be disastrous, they warned.

Prayer leaders also condemned the incident in strong words in their Friday sermons and demanded prime minister and Pak Army immediately take up the matter with the world community.

Similar protests were held in Matli, Tando Bago, Golarchi, Khoski and other towns of the district.

In Sukkur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Kandhot-Kashmore, Shikarpur and Jacobabad districts, religious, political, and social organisations took out processions against Sweden incident.

In Sukkur, people came in processions from different mosques of the city and gathered on Minara Road where they recorded their protest and demanded severe action against the miscreant who hurt sentiments of Muslim community by his blasphemous act.

In Kandhkot-Kashmore, non-Muslims also joined the protests and said the desecration of the holy book had hurt their religious sentiments too. The protesters’ leaders demanded action against the blasphemer.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2023