Bilour shows concern over British govt’s sanctions against him

Reaffirming his stance on head money on the US moviemaker for a blasphemous film he produced, Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has shown concern over the British government’s sanctions against him.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, he said, “Through such sanction, the British rulers had damaged their own image… the British rulers must keep in mind religious sentiments of Muslims.” Bilour said Muslims had great expectations from the British rulers, therefore, they must build up pressurise the US government to take a stern action against the controversial and blasphemous moviemaker.
The federal minister recalled that soon after his announcement regarding the head money on the filmmaker, the British High Commissioner in Pakistan first contacted him on telephone and later visited the office.
During the talks, Bilour informed the British envoy that Muslims could not tolerate such blasphemous acts. In this respect, he made an attempt to convince the British and American authorities to realise their responsibilities regarding addressing Muslims religious sentiments. To a question, Bilour said the ANP leadership had always had waited for action on the part of the so-called champions of Islam when blasphemous images were published in a Danish newspaper. Without mentioning name of leaders and stalwarts of various religious groups, Bilour said, “They always exploited religious sentiments of the people in favour of their political gains and objectives.”
He thanked his party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti for supporting him in his firm stance on the issue of the blasphemous movie. Referring to preparations for the next general elections, Bilour said the ANP believed in democracy and its workers and leaders were always ready for elections.
He said in the last four-and-a-half years, the ANP had made tremendous achievements in provincial autonomy and development process beside restoration of peace in Swat. In the light of such performances, the ANP was hopeful of emerging as a majority political force in next general elections, he said.