Anti-Islam film: ‘Only Pakistan protested at state level’

Prime minister announced a public holiday for registering protest against the blasphemous film.

LALAMUSA: Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said the Pakistan government is the only one across the world which protested against the sacrilegious film at the state level. Talking to the media and various delegations at Dera Kaira on Saturday, he said the prime minister had announced a public holiday on Friday to observe Yaum-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (PBUH) for registering protest at the federal capital and four provincial capitals as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan against the anti-Islam film. He said, by declaring Friday as Yaum-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (PBUH) and a public holiday, the government provided the people an opportunity to register their protest peacefully. Kaira said the violent protests gave a wrong message to the world. “We along with our children are ready to scarifice our lives for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and we cannot tolerate any profanity.” He said a deliberate effort was made to sabotage  the government’s efforts for peaceful demonstrations.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2012.