Blasphemy: ‘Expel French ambassadors’

LAHORE: The Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatam-i-Nabuwat and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) held a protest demonstration on Friday against blasphemous caricatures published in French magazine Charlie Hebdo. JUI-F leader Abdul Ghafoor Haideri addressed the rally in front of the Lahore Press Club. “We will not accept the so-called freedom of expression that invites blasphemy,” he said. He demanded that the government terminate all Ahmadi officers from service. He demanded Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif stop registration of what he called false cases against religious leaders. Haideri asked government officials to lead protests against the caricatures. Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatam-i-Nabuwat leader Maulana Allah Wasaya said Charlie Hebdo had challenged Muslims by publishing the caricatures. He called upon Muslim countries to sever diplomatic relations with the countries supporting blasphemy. Jamaat-i-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch said Muslim countries should expel French ambassadors from their countries. He said the UN should make a law to declare blasphemy a crime. Separately, the Sunni Ittehad Council held similar protest demonstrations across the province. It also observed the day as Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.