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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly condemned the despicable acts of public burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden and other countries in Europe.
This was stated by Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch while responding to questions during the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
The spokesperson said Pakistan has raised the issue of desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden with the Swedish Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad and talks are underway with the Swedish authorities in this regard.
The spokesperson said Pakistan and Sweden enjoy good diplomatic relations and the Swedish government has itself expressed concern over the despicable act of desecration of Holy Quran.
“We believe that such willful incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence cannot be justified under the guise of freedom of expression. The recurrence of such Islamophobic incidents calls into serious question the legal framework which permits such hate-driven actions,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson said as a leading member of the OIC, Pakistan has called for an urgent debate on this important matter at the UN Human Rights Council.
Pakistan also calls for credible and concrete measures to prevent the rising incidents of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred, the spokesperson added.
Updating about the situation in the aftermath of Greece boat tragedy, the spokesperson said Greek authorities have completed 78 autopsies and DNA tests and fifteen more Pakistanis have been identified after this process.
Pakistan is observing Yaum-e-Taqaddus-e-Quran on Friday across the country to lodge protest against desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden. The day was announced during a meeting held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to condemn the heinous incident.
The joint sitting of the Parliament on Thursday condemned the incident and resolved to uphold the sanctity of the Holy Quran. The lawmakers from both sides of the aisle strongly condemned the desecration of Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden and called for measures to avoid such abhorrent acts in future that insulted the sacred values of Muslims.
Speaking on a motion to discuss the situation arising out of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden in joint sitting of the Parliament, they said the entire Muslim Ummah should forge unity and raise joint voice to stop the recurrence of such profane acts.
