Action must be taken against people who produced an anti-Islam movie and Islamic countries must unanimously press the United Nations to devise a law ensuring reverence for all religions and prophets, speakers at a seminar on Respect of Faiths for Peace and Harmony said on Monday. The seminar was jointly organised by the Peace and Human Development Foundation (PHDF), the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) and CARE Foundation.
PHDF Director Suneel Malik said: “The right to free expression does not include hurting people’s religious feelings. The UN will have to play its role in adopting a convention outlawing defamation of religions and prophets.”
AWAM Executive Secretary Naseem Anthony said: “The international community must work for peaceful co-existence among followers of all religions. It must develop understanding of religious sensitivities. The government of Pakistan must lodge a strong protest with the US over the film and ask it to take action against those involved in its production.”
Arif Ayaz, a political worker, said: “The anti-Islam movie is a deliberate attempt to disturb Muslims and deepen discord among faiths. The followers of all religions must respect the last Prophet (pbuh).”
Riaz Ahmed Sharifi, a religious leader, said: “An insult to Prophet (pbuh) cannot be tolerated but the way some Muslims showed their love for him is also unjustifiable.”
Nasir Aslam, a youth leader, said: “Religious minorities have played a role in the creation and development of Pakistan. It is a pity that their patriotism is questioned whenever somebody insults Islam in any part of the world.”
Care Foundation President Yousaf Adnan said: “Non-Muslims living in Pakistan are seen by some people as agents of the US and Europe. They are held responsible for all attacks on Islam in the world. Their settlements are attacked and worship places desecrated. This is wrong.”
Another youth leader, Khalid Hameed, said: “The Muslims and non-Muslims in Pakistan are all Pakistanis. We must unite to defeat those trying to cause conflicts among people.”
Other speakers at the seminar were Ziaullah Rahmani, Ejaz Ahmed Advocate, Mazhar Iqbal Advocate, Parveen Nazir, Farkhanda Nazir and Iqbal Pirzada.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2012.
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