Pakistan denounces desecration of Holy Quran in The Hague

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has condemned in the strongest terms the latest senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of Holy Quran that took place in The Hague, the Netherlands, in front of some embassies of the OIC member countries including Pakistan, according to the Foreign Office.

In a meeting with the authorities in The Hague, Pakistan conveyed to the Dutch authorities to be mindful of sentiments of the people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world, and take active steps to prevent such hateful Islamophobic acts.

It is expected, say sources, that the Foreign Office in Islamabad would also be taking up the issue with the Dutch embassy this week to convey that such acts were deliberately provocative and Islamophobic that hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world.

“Such acts cannot be condoned under the guise of freedom of expression, opinion and protest,” said the Foreign Office. On Saturday, the leader of PEGIDA, an Islamophobic group, once again tore down a copy of Holy Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in the Netherlands, say media reports.

Tearing down more copies of the Quran outside the embassies of Pakistan, Indonesia, and Denmark in The Hague, Edwin Wagensveld also insulted Islam and Muslims. “National governments should actively prevent racist and Islamophobic acts, which incite religious hatred,” added the Foreign Office.