President General Pervez Musharraf will raise the issue of publication of blasphemous material with President Bush during their official talks this week and seek his help for an international convention/legislation against defamation of religions and publication of blasphemous material.
This was stated by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri at a news conference at Foreign Office after a meeting of the National Security Council here on Wednesday.
The NSC meeting, solely devoted to Namoos-e-Risalat, was presided over by President Pervez Musharraf and was attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other Members of NSC, including Chief Ministers of all four provinces.
Kasuri said that the United States and Britain have already disapproved and condemned the publication of blasphemous material in some Western newspapers and consider it against the inter-faith and inter-civilisation harmony.
He said that President Bush is not only President of the world's sole super power but is also leader of the Western world. "It's very important to get his personal support to combat defamation of all religions and Prophets," he added.
He said that Muslims constitute 25 percent of world population, and the "secular fundamentalists" of the West do not know how much reverence, respect and love the Muslims have for their Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). "That is why the Muslims all over the world have strongly protested against this sacrilegious act," he added.
He said that Pakistan, which has always played a lead role for the Muslims' cause, is engaging the Western countries diplomatically and sensitising them that since the world has become a global village, all countries must respect religions and Prophets of the other communities for peace, progress and stability.
He pointed out that Muslims living not only in Islamic countries from Morocco to Indonesia, but living anywhere in the world including India, EU and USA, have demonstrated against the publication of the blasphemous material.
The Foreign Minister said that Pakistan government is contemplating several initiatives. "But out hands will be strengthened if Pakistan is perceived to be acting in the defence of Islamic causes, as it always does, and not because of internal agitation and violence," he added.
He gave a comprehensive overview of the initiatives taken by Pakistan following the publication of blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) as under:
Muslim Ambassadors in Denmark held consultations during the first week of October and decided to make a joint demarche to the Danish government demanding legal action against the newspaper.
On October12, Pakistan's Ambassador in Denmark, along-with six other Ambassadors of OIC countries, in a letter made a strong demarche to the Danish Prime Minister. On October 21, the Danish Prime Minister in his response to the letter by Muslim Ambassadors, conveyed inability of the government to take action against the newspaper on the pretext of freedom of expression.
(Because of the earthquake in Pakistan on October 8, the entire focus of the Government was on rescue and relief operations. Pakistani media had also not focused the publication of sketches).
On November 7, and subsequently on January 30; February 6, 13 and 20, press briefings were held to inform the media about steps being taken by Pakistan in co-ordination with the OIC Member States. In addition, electronic media was kept informed.
On November 10, Pakistan's Permanent Representative in Geneva, in his capacity as the Chair of the OIC Group on Human Rights, addressed a letter to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, seeking her intervention with Denmark to help stem this outrage against Islam.
On November 10 also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of Denmark in Islamabad to the Ministry to lodge a strong protest and demanded immediate action by the Danish Government against the newspaper and to prevent the recurrence of such reprehensible acts.
On December 6, on Pakistan's initiative, the Extraordinary Summit at Makkah-al-Mukarrammah emphasised the need to counter defamation of Islam in the Joint Communiqué. The OIC Ten-Year Plan of Action also approved proposals for combating Islamophobia.
On December 7, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, in response to Pak Permanent Representative in Geneva's letter, stated that she understood the feelings of Muslims and was concerned about caricatures and actions that expressed lack of respect for others' religion and beliefs.
On December 16, at Pakistan's initiative, the 60th Session of UN General Assembly adopted resolution 60/150 calling on the international community to combat defamation of all religions and curbing the tendency of Islamophobia.
On February 2, in the discussion on the proposed Human Rights Council in the UN General Assembly, Pak Permanent Representative in New York raised the subject condemning the provocation and suggested inclusion of appropriate language in the mandate of the proposed Human Rights Council.
Subsequently, he formally proposed that the resolution for the establishment of new Human Rights Council should address the issue of religious intolerance.
On February 3, Pak Permanent Representative in Geneva convened another meeting of the OIC Group and addressed another letter on behalf of the Group, forcefully taking up the matter with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On February 4, after the reprinting of derogatory sketches in Norway, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, Finland, and Czech Republic, the envoys of these countries were summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged with them over this despicable act by their media.
On February 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs again issued a statement strongly condemning the publication of offensive cartoons.
On February 6, Permanent Representative in Geneva addressed a letter to the OIC Secretary General apprising him of the efforts undertaken by him in his capacity as Chair of the OIC Group on Human Rights.
On February 7, at the initiative of the Foreign Minister, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution condemning this profoundly provocative incidence.
On February 9, at the initiative of Pakistan's Permanent Representative in New York, the OIC Ambassadors met to discuss the issue, following which the Troika of OIC Ambassadors met with the UN Secretary General and stressed the need for UN role in ensuring respect for religious sensibilities.
On February 13, Pak Missions in New York and Geneva were instructed to revisit the publication of caricature issue from the point of view of international law and provisions of various UN Conventions. Pak Missions in EU capitals were instructed to explore the possibility of appropriate legal action against newspapers under local laws.
On February 14, an Extraordinary Meeting of OIC Ambassadors was held in Jeddah, which, on the recommendation of Pakistan, adopted the following decisions:
The EU should adopt necessary legislative measures by the European Parliament against Islamophobia.
The EU and OIC may jointly make efforts to adopt UN Resolution on the lines of existing UN Resolution 60/150 (Combating defamation of religions) which should prohibit defamation of all Prophets and faiths.
The sensitivities of the Muslims and defamation in any form or manifestation and the core beliefs of the religions inc1udin~ mocking and criticising Prophets and it should be considered as an ethical offence in the European media code.
The United Nations should adopt International Communication Order to put limits on the freedom of speech in case of religious symbols.
The draft resolution on the establishment of the proposed Human Rights Council, currently being negotiated in New York, should include operative provision prohibiting blasphemy.
In pursuance of the Jeddah decisions, the Chair of the OIC Ambassadorial Group in New York nominated a group of Ambassadors to negotiate with the President of General Assembly and Member States the proposal for inclusion of two paragraphs in the preambular and operative parts of the resolution on the establishment of the Human Rights Council on the question of defamation of religions. A paragraph in the preambular part of the resolution calling for tolerance, respect and freedom of religion and belief has been included in the President General Assembly's text.
On February 17, Pakistan's Ambassador in Denmark was called back to Islamabad for consultations. Again, a strong demarche was made, calling EU Ambassadors to the Foreign office asking them to condemn the publication and reprinting of the blasphemous caricatures.
During his visit to Pakistan on February 21-22, OIC Secretary General's recent visit to Pakistan, this issue was discussed at length.
On February 21, the Foreign Minister and the Secretary General also issued a joint statement condemning the publication. The Secretary General publicly appreciated Pak Permanent Representatives in New York and Geneva for their lead role in addressing the issue.
On February 22, Pakistan sent a formal note to the QIC General Secretariat calling for an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers. This request was also made to the OIC Secretary General during his visit to Pakistan.
Pak Permanent Mission is now exploring the possibility of a stronger resolution (action oriented) in the General Assembly against defamation of religions as a follow up of resolution 60/150.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative in New York has been asked to further pursue the inclusion of an operative para in the Human Rights Council, adoption of a comprehensive International Communication Order and an international convention/additional protocol to one of the existing instruments against defamation of religions. We are in the process of eliciting support from the OIC Group.
At the Prime Minister's instructions, a Parliamentary delegation, led by Religious Affairs Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq, is visiting Brussels to interact with the EU Parliament.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that these initiatives were taken much before the world-wide agitation, which began in February.
It is no exaggeration to say, and can be said without any fear of contradiction, that Pakistan has been in the lead taking initiatives in New York and Geneva in the context of the UN and at Jeddah and Makkah-Al-Mukkarama in the context of the OIC. He said that during the recent visit of the OIC Secretary General Ikmaluddin Ihsanoglu, he was gracious enough to acknowledge and appreciate the lead role played by Pakistan in this connection.