Pakistan

Pakistan condemns Quran burning in Florida

Foreign ministry condemns the desecration of the Quran as "despicable act."

Reuters/afp March 22, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned the "deliberate desecration" of the Quran by a US evangelical preacher in a church in Florida, calling it a setback for global efforts to promote harmony.

The burning was carried out by pastor Wayne Sapp under the supervision of Terry Jones, who last year drew condemnation over his aborted plan to ignite a pile of the Islamic holy books to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Jones was widely pilloried for his threats to carry out the Quran burning, including by US President Barack Obama.

The foreign ministry condemned the desecration of the Quran as "despicable act."

"There could be no justification for such acts," the ministry said.

"This has deeply hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and Muslims all over the world."

The U.S. ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter alsocondemned the burning of a copy of Koran in Florida.

"The deliberate destruction of any holy book is an abhorrentact," he said in a statement.

"This is an isolated act done by asmall group of people that is contrary to American traditions."

COMMENTS (25)

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Raj: "There is no excuse for this sort of behaviour." You would have known not the excuse but the reasons for this behaviour if ET had allowed my post on it. So do not think that your assertion is unchallenged because you did not see the other side of the equation. I am not sure that this post will see the light of the day, either! "In india too the destruction of ayodhya mosque, which caused such a senseless bloodshed on both sides." More accurately, it was Babri mosque erected by a barbarian or in his name to humiliate an entire people. So, while we know what your take on that incident is, let not readers conclude that you speak for all Indians. I can appreciate your wish to live a sheltered, safe, peaceful life, however not every person is like you. To some their pride in their convictions,does matter. Ask yourself: was it any mosque? Why was this mosque razed? And, why was it done after 500 years after which it was built? And, why was it done to a non-functional mosque? If you asked those questions of a man who passed by it every day and felt the pangs of humiliation every time he did, his answers might illuminate you as the reason(s) why thousands of ordinary people reduced it to rubble on a beautiful sunny morning with just their fingernails in a matter of a few hours! History leaves its imprint on the genes of the people who live it and it is passed from generation to generation. Historical memories are for ever! They surface some day eventually!

john | 13 years ago | Reply wht r u doing

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John | 13 years ago | Reply @Brian L.: Thanks for adding voice to my comments on the same manner, which have been censored by ET yesterday. However, to the credit of ET another comment on the same line was published in "National Assembly Resolution" news today. Would like to know your view, for or against, to my view.

Brian L. | 13 years ago | Reply Sharma wrote: "Its shame on america and its so called democratic,secular,multi cutlural values for hurting religious feelings of a particular religion!!" Don't blame a whole racially, culturally and spiritually diverse nation of over 300 million people for the acts of a few intolerant and ignorant people. The US is far more democratic than any country in the Muslim world. The secular nature of our nation and the freedom of speech protected by the constitution allow people to follow whatever religion they choose (or none at all), and the freedom to convert to any religion they choose. Try converting from Islam to anything else in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, or Yemen--and the state gets to kill you. Try saying anything against Islam in any of these states, and be executed or imprisoned. That is legally-sanctioned oppression by the government against generally peaceable minorities. The recent so-called "blasphemy" case in Pakistan is a perfect example of oppression by a generally-peaceful person. Generally peaceable people in America--regardless of their religious creed--are protected equally under the law. Next time you are in the US, burn a bible if it makes you feel better. Just make sure you get the appropriate burn permit and authorization of the property owner, and you, too will be allowed to commit an intolerant act and not be prosecuted for it.

Brian L. | 13 years ago | Reply Sharma wrote: "Its shame on america and its so called democratic,secular,multi cutlural values for hurting religious feelings of a particular religion!!"

Usman Nisar | 13 years ago | Reply 1 Umer bin Khattab radi Allahu anhu 2 Salah ud din Ayubee rahima hulla to resist radical Christianity .May Allah bless us with commanders like them who can restore our glory of past .Our political leaders have changed their role models and are following the footsteps of Imperialism .We cannot dominate them unless and untill we revive our own traditions culture ,social and political system

saimaikram | 13 years ago | Reply wel we will react peacfully v r not hyper nation as muslim ........... we are not going to burn ur holy books .........Allah all mighty will justice

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply Religion is a victim of the clergy who interpret it to their personal beliefs!!! these clergy are the real terrorists, may they be hindu, muslim, christian or jewish. There is no excuse for this sort of behaviour. But sadly in pakistan too, this problem exists! How many churches have been razed? How how many christians been killedin name of religion? In india too the destruction of ayodhya mosque, which caused such a senseless bloodshed on both sides.

bilal | 13 years ago | Reply This is the eva what we canot understand.why they nukes do like such shameable acts.rather we can name it as christ extremisim or this is the teaching of christinity?but we cannot blame christnity although they blame whole of islam as extremist.i condemned it.

J Oberoi | 13 years ago | Reply If Muslims around the world stop reacting, all such acts will automatically stop. This is being done only to provoke those who do not have the common sense to ignore it. Crazy people like Terry Jones are doing it for the publicity and the not-so-smart ones fall for his ruse. Religions are not that weak that they need its followers to defend them.

Nael | 13 years ago | Reply Sick people, ignorant, fathered by devil's himself.

Syed Husain | 13 years ago | Reply shouldn't we term Wayne as Christain extremist and hardliner in this case??

Live & let us live. | 13 years ago | Reply "...............And its bigger shame to pakistan ,India and all muslim countries................." Now what India has got to do with this?

haroon | 13 years ago | Reply ALLAH is watching all of u people, so wait 4 azab of ALLAH.............. !!!!!! ALLAH will surely punish them!!!!!!

balma | 13 years ago | Reply Go ahead my pakistani brothers, go ahead and go out. Burn your own buildings in protest, destroy your own restaurants, brun all the cars and gas stations you can, make a mess of your own cities....With friends like its citizens, Pakistan doesn't need enemies. Go ahead, jahil avaam and semi-educated (neem hakeems).

Salim Ansari | 13 years ago | Reply @Arif: "Who appointed Pakistan to be the torchbearer and spokesperson for all muslims of the world? It is not even their indigenous religion." There is a saying - the converted is more pious than the Pope.

ikhan | 13 years ago | Reply COME TO COMMON TERMS dear Christians & Jews & all religions of the world for God's Sake

sharma | 13 years ago | Reply Its shame on america and its so called democratic,secular,multi cutlural values for hurting religious feelings of a particular religion!! And its bigger shame to pakistan ,india and all muslim countries who will vandalize and destroy their own property ,waste their own energy in protests,which will augment radical mind!! A Simple advise to all muslims is to be indifferent and ignore such acts!!

Mulla Toofhan | 13 years ago | Reply The act committed by these Two infidels is nothing unexpected. His way of promoting his Church. Devils do appear in all forms. I just hope that our Mullas do not over react and give him the attention he is seeking. This can only become worse if the Mulla decide to do their street Song and Dance show.

BEN | 13 years ago | Reply Folks, this story is an old story from the Summer of 2010. This event was cancelled, this website is bringing up old news and creating the image of problem that does not exist. Please see this link: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/11/florida-pastor-calls-off-quran-burning/ The burning was cancelled, also look at the picture, it shows on the white bush the event is scheduled for 11 September 2010. That is six months ago. This person, Terry Jones, lead a small group of radical Islamophobes in a massive publicity stunt. This inflammatory and disgusting act only served in evoke fears and agers between Americans and Moslems. The reposting of this article, only seeks to re-open an event that did not occur.

Kan | 13 years ago | Reply Whatever be, I do not think any person from other religion should demean others faith.. If this was done by a muslim I wouldnt have said a word...but omming from a Christian or from any other faith is INTOLERANCE and BIGOTRY.... Its a Sin to Judege others... Judge your own religion and thats enough... Havig said that I sincerely hope that Liberal Muslims have teh courage to Judge and do Ijtihad... Its time now cause the world is burning and everyone is increasingly becoming intolerant..

Arif | 13 years ago | Reply “This has deeply hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and Muslims all over the world.” Who appointed Pakistan to be the torchbearer and spokesperson for all muslims of the world? It is not even their indigenous religion.

M M Malik | 13 years ago | Reply Despicable act, without question. Our reaction should not be emotional or violent. We should pray to Almighty to show everybody the right way. We must also review our own behavior and ways.

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Now wait for the replying from Taliban as well as from other extremists.By doing this,they are gonna creating problems for their own.

PEACE PROMOTER | 13 years ago | Reply We should promote peace and love everyone as brothers and sister as we are!!!!!!!!!!!!

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