Unanimous resolution: NA censures French weekly over cartoons

Calls them an attempt to incite violence and sow discord among civilisations.

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the caricatures published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. The resolution was tabled by Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique.

The lawmakers also staged a rally outside parliament against the cartoons which have been roundly criticised by Muslims across the world.

“This house strongly condemns the printing and reprinting of blasphemous caricatures … by the French periodical  and also takes serious note of the continued trend of their re-production in numerous other newspapers and magazines of other Western capitals,” read the resolution.

“This house genuinely believes that freedom of expression should not be misused as means to attack or hurt public sentiments and religious beliefs, and in this regard Article 20 of the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights must be followed by all states,” it said.

The resolution added that “the house is of a firm opinion that such malicious attacks on the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and all other messengers of Allah amount to hate speech.”

“These are deliberate attempts to incite violence, create discord, widen misunderstandings among civilisations and thereby provide opportunities to terrorist elements to capitalise on public sentiments. This house strongly condemns all kinds of violence under whatever pretext. Islam is a faith of peace and tolerance. Nobody should be allowed to distract this universal and all-pervading message and spirit of Islam.”



The resolution called upon the international community, particularly the member states of the United Nations, the European Union and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to take decisive steps to stop such practices.

In a statement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the publication of the caricatures by the French weekly and said that “freedom of speech should not be used to hurt the religious sentiments of any community.” He called on the international community to discourage the publication of provocative material.

Earlier, while speaking on the floor of the lower house, lawmakers from both aisles strongly condemned the ‘malicious’ act of the French press and urged the government to take up the issue at the international forums.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah said the act had not only hurt the sentiments of 1.7 billion Muslims across the globe, it could also instigate violence which would be later tagged as terrorism. “Only Muslims would be singled out for blame [in case of violence],” he said.

Former minister Ghous Bux Maher termed the action a ‘conspiracy to provoke Muslims’. MNA Jamshed Dasti said the Muslim world should have a ‘special force’ to act against such acts. Minority MNA Khalil George said the Christian community in Pakistan strongly condemned the printing of the caricatures and termed it a ‘blow to international peace’.

Other developments

Earlier during proceedings, the National Assembly deputy speaker announced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNAs Imran Khattak, Ali Muhammad Khan, Sheharyar Afridi, Khayal Zaman Orakzai, Azhar Jadoon, Dawar Kundi, Murad Saeed, Qaiser Jamal, Asad Umar, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Nafeesa Inayatullah, Sajida Begum and Lal Chand had been absent from the house without leave for 40 consecutive days.

Opposition parties also blocked a resolution of the government for extending the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Ordinance 2014 for another 120 days.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2015.