Prime Minister Imran Khan called upon the western governments to penalize those elements who had been deliberately spreading message of hate against Muslims by using the same standards with which they had outlawed any negative comments on holocaust. In a tweet, Prime Minister demanded an apology from those extremists in the West who under the garb of freedom of speech had hurt 1.3 billion Muslims by their blasphemous acts against our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). While representing the Muslims across the globe, Prime Minister said, “We Muslims have the greatest love & respect for our Prophet PBUH who lives in our hearts. We cannot tolerate any such disrespect.” The Prime Minister also made it clear that government took action against Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a banned organization, under anti-terrorist laws when it challenged the writ of the state as no one could be above the law. Prime Minister tweeted , “Let me make clear to people here & abroad: Our govt only took action against TLP under our anti-terrorist law when they challenged the writ of the state and used street violence & attacking the public & law enforcers. No one can be above the law and the Constitution,”. France had been an epicenter of Blasphemous acts against individuals, regions, ethnicity, and racial groups in the past. However, the blasphemous acts against Islam were on the rise during last decades. Although, there is freedom of expression and press in France but concerned laws on the freedom of press are subject to several restrictions which prohibits any one from publicly inciting another to discrimination, hate or to harm, a person or a group for belonging or not belonging to an ethnicity, a nation, a race, a religion, a sex etc. under Article 24, 32 and 33 of the Constitution of France. Besides all such laws, anti-Muslim incidents are occurring every single day in France. However, French Judicial system and Political bigotry against Muslims and Islam is the real reason for rising anti-Muslim trend in France. The French Political and religious Leadership behavior at this issue is very bigotry and discriminating. Instead of cooling down the situation through solidarity with minorities or calling for resilience and tolerance they sided with the culprits who committed hate crime and blasfameous attacks on their fellow citizens. It is the height of religious bigotry and Politically opportunists behavior, that the head of the State used insane language against the believes of a faction of his subjects.
The world has witnessed the bigotrious remarks of French President Emmanuel Macron, when he said that blasphemy is no a crime. Earlier, French Justice Minister, Nicole Belloubet uttered similar words in the case of French girl Mila, who filmed an anti-religious diatribe on social media. Besides other Countries, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan categorically condemned the act and announced for a ban or boycott of French products in their Countries.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has rightly urged the International Community or the Countries facing blasphemous for strict legislation to curb anti-Islam and anti-Muslim hate and blasphemous crimes as they did in case of holocaust. However, it is French leadership double standards and religious bigotry that they would not likely to act on this rightful appeal. Therefore, It is essential that government of Pakistan initiate this case at UN and OIC level to made Macron to act as per the International laws and learn to respect other believes in future.
