Lawmakers protest: Senators condemn US pastor and UN

Senate adopts unanimous resolution against desecration of the Holy Quran.

ISLAMABAD:

Senators across party lines adopted a unanimous resolution on Monday condemning the desecration of the Holy Quran by an American pastor in Florida and demanding that the US government take action against him.

Several senators gave angry speeches suggesting forms of retribution ranging from burning the pastor alive to using Middle Eastern oil as a tool to punish the whole United States for its alleged disrespect of Muslim sentiment. One senator said the pastor’s action was more serious than the attacks of September 11.

A few softly-spoken senators advised prudence, urging the government to consider the pastor’s action as the act of an individual rather than a country.

“This house condemns this shameful act in the strongest possible terms and calls upon the government of the United States to take action against the person concerned to prove its claim of being civilised,” said Leader of the House Nayyar Hussain Bukhari as he read out the resolution in the house.

Drafted in collaboration with all parties in the Senate, the resolution demanded the United Nations take notice of the incident and condemned the US administration for not saying anything on the subject.

The resolution passed unanimously, though that wasn’t enough for some. When Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek asked if anyone would oppose the resolution, PML-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain objected, saying he should not have asked. Naek explained that he was simply following procedure. Hussain insisted that it was still a bad idea owing to the sensitivity of the issue.

‘Religious terrorism’

Ishaq Dar of the PML-Nawaz described the incident as “an act of religious terrorism, in a way” and urged the government to mobilise the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had done in 1974. Raja Zafarul Haq said no civilised state would allow such a “cheap act” that hurt an entire religious community. He blamed the whole West for the act and said mere condemnation was insufficient.

Dr Khalid Soomro of the JUI-F said that the incident was more grave than the 9/11 tragedy. Abdul Rahim Mandokhel condemned the incident, but said that it should be considered the personal act of a “mad man” and dealt with prudently.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.