KARACHI, 13 February 2006 — The ruling Pakistan Muslim League, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and several other political and religious parties gave a call here yesterday for a countrywide strike on March 3 against the publication of blasphemous cartoons featuring the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in some European newspapers.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the national consultative council (Qaumi Majlis-e-Mushawarat) at the residence of Mian Muhammad Aslam. Religious scholars and leaders from all over the country attended the meeting.
The meeting also called upon the Muslims all over the world to observe an international sanctity of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) day by holding peaceful demonstrations, public meetings, rallies and conferences on March 3.
The meeting was convened by the MMA to devise a joint strategy against the heinous act committed by newspapers of some European countries. “The strike call enjoys support of all the political and religious parties of the country,” MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed told a press conference after the meeting.
The meeting also expressed reservations about upcoming visit of US President George W. Bush for his aggression against Islamic countries. Pakistan Muslim League (PML) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Sayed represented the ruling party at the meeting also attended by representatives of PML-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, Tehrik Minhajul Quraan, Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Jamaat-ud-Daawa, Wafaqul Madaris Arabia, Shabab-e-Milli, Almi Majlis Khatam-e-Nubuwwat.
The meeting also approved a protest program through a declaration. The MMA chief said the meeting demanded the Pakistan government to immediately snap diplomatic ties with the countries where blasphemous sketches were published in newspapers. “We ask the government to immediately call back its ambassadors from these countries and expel their envoys,” he said.
The MMA chief said the participants of the meeting demanded holding of a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on the issue and also asked the Islamic countries to cut off trade and cultural ties with the European countries. He said the meeting warned the government against promotion of its policy of enlightened moderation and asked the rulers to end their campaign against the Hudood Ordinance and other Islamic laws.
“We will run a comprehensive and result-oriented movement against the government to achieve our motives,” he said.
Hussain Ahmad said the MMA and other religious parties were in contact with organizations in Egypt, Morocco and other countries to stage protests on March 3.
“We have also called upon our Muslim brothers in India to back our call,” he said.
The MMA chief said the seminars and conferences and other protest programs would be organized all over the world to condemn the unfortunate incident.
Announcing the protest program to be organized in Pakistan, he said, a “Shan-e-Mustafa” rally would be held in Islamabad on Sunday and in Lahore on Feb. 26, countrywide shutter-down strike would be observed on March 3 and a big rally would be held in Karachi on March 5.
Responding to a question, the MMA chief said the government’s policies have encouraged the world to commit such heinous acts.
When asked whether Chaudhry Shujaat also agreed with the declaration passed at the meeting, he said: “You better ask this question from him.”
Qazi also announced that all opposition parties would launch a joint protest against publication of the blasphemous caricatures during the upcoming visit of US President George W Bush.
