Pakistan strongly condemns repetition of Quran desecration in Netherlands

Pakistan has strongly condemned another provocative and deeply offensive act of desecration of the Holy Quran in the Hague, Netherlands on 18 August 2023, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.

 A statement issued by the foreign office on Saturday stated that this deliberate Islamophobic act deeply hurts the feelings of 2 billion Muslims around the world, and threatens peaceful coexistence and inter-religious harmony.

 Such offensive acts cannot be covered under legitimate freedom of expression, opinion, and protest. International law obliges States to prevent and prohibit deliberate incitement to hatred, discrimination, and violence on the basis of religion or belief.

 It continued that Pakistan believes that freedom of expression comes with responsibilities. It is the responsibility of national governments and the international community at large to prevent racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic acts. That was the spirit behind the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 to mark 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

 Pakistan’s concerns are being conveyed to the authorities in the Netherlands. We urge them to be mindful of the sentiments of Muslims around the world and take steps to prevent such hateful and Islamophobic acts. We also call on the international community to raise its voice against Islamophobia and work collectively to promote interfaith harmony.