Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran by a far-right Danish politician and called for global unity to fight Islamophobia.
Notorious anti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan, a dual Danish-Swedish citizen, first set fire to a copy of the holy book near a mosque in the Danish capital and then a second copy outside the Turkish embassy a day earlier.
The Prime Minister took to Twitter to express his displeasure over the third incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in the past week.
He wrote: “The most aggressive desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish politician is the third incident in a row that should be strongly condemned by the civilized world.”
The highly offensive desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish politician is the third such incident in a row that should be strongly condemned by the civilised world. The need for global unity to fight Islamophobia couldn't be more urgent than it is now. We are deeply hurt.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 29, 2023
The Prime Minister urged the international community to come together to fight Islamophobia, saying “The need for global unity to fight Islamophobia could not be more urgent than now. We are deeply saddened.”
A day earlier, the Foreign Office also strongly condemned the stupid and highly offensive act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark, by the same Islamophobe who committed the same act in Sweden a few days ago.
In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “The repetition of this heinous act raises doubts in the minds of Muslims around the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly exploited to spread religious hatred and incite violence.” is being done.”
The spokesperson said that Pakistan’s concerns are being conveyed to the Danish authorities.
Protests
In Sweden and the Netherlands, thousands of people rallied across the country after Friday prayers to express outrage over the targeting of the Holy Quran.
At least 5,000 people marched through Lahore, the second largest city, chanting “Quran is hidden in our hearts” and “I am the protector of the Quran” in a rally organized by Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami held a protest in Karachi against the desecration of Holy Quran. Swedish flags were torn down in both cities.
Protests also took place in several cities in neighboring Afghanistan, where men, some carrying Taliban flags, were allowed to take part in rare and brief street demonstrations sanctioned by the authorities.
About 1,000 men gathered in the eastern city of Jalalabad: “Death to the infidels, dead to Sweden, dead to America.”
Protests also broke out in Iraq, while Indonesia summoned Sweden’s ambassador and Egypt called for a boycott of Swedish and Dutch products.
