The Tehrik-e-Minhajul Quran International Chief Patron Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said Saturday that the blasphemous film is not only a step to hurt the sentiments of over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world but is also a heinous conspiracy to damage global peace and harmony.
In his telephonic address to the participants of the rally arranged by the local leadership of Minhajul Quran, he said all three religions namely Islam,
Christianity and Judaism revolved around the revered personalities of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Jesus Christ (P.B.U.H) and Musa (P.B.U.H).
He said both the Holy Quran and the Bible not only condemned such sacrilegious acts but also regarded them as the worst crimes, while adding that besides the Holy Quran, the Bible also forbid blasphemy against the prophets and the divine books.
Qadri said that the constitutions and laws of the entire world neither allowed anyone to commit contempt of court nor could anyone show disrespect towards any Parliament or Constitution of a country. He said defamation of religions and holy personages was prohibited in a number of countries including Austria, England, Germany, the Netherland, Spain, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand.
He said when constitutions of the western countries had accepted these rights; it was the constitutional and democratic right of the international Muslim community to peacefully protest against the blasphemy committed against Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in accordance with the United Nations Charter of Human Rights.
Qadri warned that such sacrilegious films were pushing the Muslim community in particular and the peaceful and civilized world in general, towards radicalism. He demanded that all those involved in the project including the promoters, distributors and supporters of the movie should be apprehended under terrorism charges and should face the law.
Qadri also said that the Muslims should undertake peaceful protests against the conspiracy to global peace and for the protection of the honor and sanctity of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) and his religion. He further added that there was no justification for the people to resort to violence, killing, pelting of stones or any other negative tactics to put their point across.
He said that unless effective legislation was carried out to check such heinous acts and until the basic principles were redefined, terrorism would not be eliminated and the dream of durable peace would not be realized by anyone.
Thousand of youth, women, children and elderly people from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi took part in the rally that started from Liaqat Bagh and culminated at D-Chowk, Islamabad.
The participants were holding banners, placards and flags and raised anti-US slogans. Minhajul Quran General Secretary Rafeeq Ahmed Abbasi, Chief of Punjab chapter Ahmed Nawaz Amjum and President Islamabad chapter Syed Bashir Hussain Shan also addressed the protest rally.