Blasphemy caricatures: Hundreds protest at Punjab University

LAHORE: Hundreds of students came together at the Punjab University on Tuesday to stage a protest demonstration against the publication of offensive caricatures by French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The demonstration had been organised by the Islami Jamiat Talaba. The protesters demanded the government sever ties with France. They passed a resolution calling on the government to expel the French ambassador. Hundreds of male and women students hailing from different departments of the varsity participated in the Namoos-i-Risalat rally. The protestors held placards bearing the name of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and raised the slogan ‘we are the servants of the prophet.’ The protest commenced from the Islamic Centre and culminated at the Faisal Auditorium. IJT nazim Abdul Muqeet said the youth of the nation had strongly protested against the publication of the offensive caricatures. He said the government must register a strong protest with the French government in this regard. Muqeet said the nature of the offence made it incumbent on all Muslim countries to unite to address the issue. A resolution was later passed at the auditorium that called on the government to sever diplomatic relations with France and cut bilateral trade. The resolution also demanded the holding of an emergency session of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to formulate a strategy in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2015.