FO condemns desecration of Holy Quran in Netherlands

Urges international community to raise voice against Islamophobia

Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned another provocative and deeply offensive act of desecration of the Holy Quran in The Hague on Friday.

The Foreign Office in a statement said, "This deliberate Islamophobic act deeply hurts the feelings of two billion Muslims around the world, and threatens peaceful coexistence and inter-religious harmony.

Such offensive acts cannot be covered under legitimate freedom of expression, opinion, and protest. International law obliges states to prevent and prohibit deliberate incitement to hatred, discrimination, and violence on the basis of religion or belief."

The FO said, "Pakistan believes that freedom of expression comes with responsibilities. It is the responsibility of national governments and the international community at large to prevent racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic acts. That was the spirit behind the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 to mark March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia."

The statement added, "Pakistan’s concerns are being conveyed to the authorities in the Netherlands. We urge them to be mindful of the sentiments of Muslims around the world and take steps to prevent such hateful and Islamophobic acts. We also call on the international community to raise its voice against Islamophobia and work collectively to promote interfaith harmony."