ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the incident of public burning of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque in Sweden.
In a tweet, the prime minister said “such vile, despicable and heinous Islamophobic acts brazenly violate international law”.
The prime minister said there are no words to adequately condemn this anti-Islam act, which is clearly meant to hurt the feelings of Muslims around the world.
He said the Holy Quran is a Divine Book of love, peace and wisdom for the entire humanity and the deviant character who indulged in this condemnable act has, in fact, insulted the shared values of humanity.
Disgusted and appalled by the incident of public burning of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque in Sweden. Such vile, despicable and heinous Islamophobic acts brazenly violate international law. I have no words to adequately condemn this anti-Islam act, which is clearly meant to…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 29, 2023
Pakistan conveys concern
Pakistan has strongly condemned the despicable act of public burning of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
The Foreign Office issued a statement and said such wilful incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence cannot be justified under pretext of freedom of expression and protest.
The spokesperson said under international law, sates are duty bound to prohibit any advocacy of religious hatred, leading to incitement of violence.
The recurrence of such Islamophobic incidents during the last few months in the West calls into serious question the legal framework which permits such hate-driven actions, the statement said.
The statement reiterated that the right to freedom of expression and opinion does not provide a license to stoke hatred and sabotage inter-faith harmony. The spokesperson said Pakistan’s concerns about the incident are being conveyed to Sweden.
Pakistan urged both the international community and the national governments to undertake credible and concrete measures to prevent the rising incidents of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.
Muslim world has also strongly condemned burning of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden. Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia said these hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification.
Morocco has recalled its ambassador to Stockholm and summoned Sweden’s charge d’Affaires in Rabat. Iraq said the incident is ‘a reflection of a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression’.
Iran calling the act of burning the Quran “provocative” and “unacceptable”, while Egypt described it as a “shameful” act which was especially provocative as Muslims mark Eid-ul-Adha.
