ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday has asserted that expelling French ambassador will not resolve the issue of Islamophobia in Western countries.
The Prime Minister addressed the nation, a day after over a dozen police officers, including a Deputy Superintendent of police (DSP) were taken hostage by the supporters of a banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Lahore.
PM Imran pointed out that expelling French ambassador will also hurt Pakistan’s relations with European Union (EU) and will also damage country’s economy and export. “After much difficulties, the country’s economy is reviving, the rupee is stabilising, inflation in coming down,” he said.
“If we sever ties with France it will mean that our ties with the European Union will be severed and doing so will hurt Pakistan’s textile industry as most of our textile products exported to European countries,” PM Imran added.
He said, “Our country is the only one which was founded in the name of Islam. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W) lived in the hearts of the people of Pakistan. That is why whenever any disrespect is attempted to his name anywhere in the world, it hurts us.”
The premier stressed that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) was on the same page with the TLP regarding the protection of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s honour, however, expelling the ambassador of France is not the solution.
PM Imran said like the TLP, the government too wanted that there was no blasphemy against the Prophet (S.A.W.W). “Only our methods are different,” he pointed out.
“Around 1990, Salman Rushdie wrote a book in which he disrespected our Prophet. The public came out on Pakistani streets and attacked the American embassy and people were martyred too,” he added.
“Has this approach made any difference?” the premier asked, saying the TLP was protesting in the manner seen in the past as well. Referring to the countrywide protests, the premier sad that vandalising property will not reap any benefits.
Detailing the loss of lives, the number of people injured, and the damage done to properties during the protests, the Prime Minister said that the TLP believes it was the only party in the country that loves the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W).
“The government has been negotiation with the TLP for the last two-and-a-half months,” PM Imran said, adding that the party has held protests before too but it did not make a difference to France.
The prime minister said even if Pakistan took steps against France, the same disrespect could be done in any other European country in the name of freedom of opinion. “There they’ve made it an issue of freedom of expression and on that basis, they will also commit blasphemy,” he added.
Citing the example of laws regarding the Holocaust, PM Imran said that Muslim nations, too, should work collectively to eliminate Islamophobia which is being practised in the West in the name of freedom of speech.
He also appealed to the religious scholars of Pakistan, saying that violent protests and clashes with the police will only hurt the country and provide fodder to Indian websites and other enemies of the state to capitalise on the situation.
