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Pakistan moves resolution at PUIC against blasphemous caricatures
INP
ISLAMABAD – National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq urged the parliaments of Muslim countries to adopt a unified approach against the continued practice of printing blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by numerous western journals.
According to a message received from Turkey, Ayaz, who is leading the Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation to 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC member states (PUIC), has personally moved a resolution, condemning such heinous practice. Pakistan is the only country to have raised this critical issue to the august Islamic parliamentary forum and hence is leading the joint parliamentary opinion of the Muslim World.
The Pakistan resolution has been drafted on the similar lines as the one unanimously passed by the National Assembly on January 15, 2015. According to the draft, the resolution opines that “such malicious attacks on the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and all other Messengers of Almighty Allah are designed means of “Hate Speech”. These are deliberate attempts to incite violence, create discord, widen misunderstandings among civilizations and thereby provide opportunities to the terrorist elements to capitalize on public sentiments.”
While referring to the Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations, Pakistan’s resolution further notes that the publication of such derogatory material is also against the internationally recognised norms of freedom of expression. Furthermore, the resolution also quotes the Article 10 of the European Union’s Convention of Human Rights. While firmly rejecting violence under any pretext, the resolution concludes by urging the international community, the United Nations, the OIC and the EU to jointly work for creating harmony and understanding among civilizations by taking steps to stop such heinous practices.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk