ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani said all the legislators from treasury and opposition benches would stage a protest demonstration before the Indian Embassy in Islamabad on Friday.
Sanjrani seconded a proposal of Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman during the debate in the Senate on the blasphemous comments by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leaders.
He also planned to form a three-member delegation to raise the issue at the United Nations (UN) as it would discourage its reoccurrence anywhere in the world.
Seeking permission for open discussion on the issue, Leader of the House Azam Nazeer Tarar condemned the sacrilegious comments about Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) by the BJP leaders in the strongest terms. He said the BJP leaders had not only hurt the feelings of Indian Muslims but also the entire Ummah.
Leader of the Opposition Dr Waseem Shahzad said Islamophobia had taken the most lethal form in India. The Muslim Ummah should boycott Indian products all over the world like the residents of some Middle Eastern countries.
Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat Islami said India wanted to rob the regional peace by creating religious disharmony. He proposed to call for an immediate summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to give a collective response in a befitting manner to India on the issue.
Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said the government should hold dialogue with world to control the burgeoning incidents of Islamophobia.
PML-N’s Dr Asif Kirmani said an international drive should be launched to sort out the solution to blasphemous issues on a permanent basis, and the OIC and the UN should also be taken on board on the matter.
PTI’s Faisal Javed said the blasphemous comments about Holy Prophet (PBUH) was not acceptable at any cost. “We should take practical steps to counter the issues pertaining to Islamophobia.”
PPP Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani termed it a black day as the BJP leaders had hurt the sentiments of entire Muslim Ummah.
Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q said an explanation should be sought from the Indian government on the gruesome issue from the platform of OIC.
PTI’s Shibli Faraz said it was painful when someone passed blasphemous comments regarding the beloved Prophet (PBUH), and appreciated the Middle Eastern countries’ practical response by boycotting the Indian products.
Danesh Kumar condemning the incident said it was an individual act as the Hindu community had great respect for the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said he would lead the protest demonstration to express his love for the great personality of the world.
PML-N’s Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui recited the poetry of Justice (retd) Rana Bhagwandas in which he praised the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said a sensible person whether he was a Hindu, Christian, or from any other faith could not speak against the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Senator Dilawar Khan mentioned the book “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History” written by a Christian writer Michael H. Hart, showing the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on the top of the list.
Senator Gurdeep Singh said India wanted to spread terrorism in the wake of religious disharmony. Kamran Michael said India was not only targeting the Muslims but also the Christians.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, “We should take a strong action against the blasphemous act and also take the international human rights watchdogs in loop for discouraging such issues in the future.”
