An unpardonable act

What Charlie Hebdo has done is beyond comprehension. It has broken all norms of civility and badly hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world. Its blasphemous act has, in fact, given rise to a wave of anger and disquiet not only in Pakistan but across the globe.
So sensitive is the issue to the interests of people belonging to all religions that a delegation of Christian pastors also took part in the demonstrations to show solidarity with their Muslim countrymen. Our own National Assembly has also unanimously passed a resolution profoundly condemning the indecent and highly irresponsible behaviour of the French magazine. Condemning Charlie Hebdo, Pope Francis said that freedom of speech did not allow ridiculing others’ religion and that such action would always face severe retaliation. One cannot but agree with all that has been said by Pope Francis on the issue. Freedom of speech and expression do not give one the licence to affront others. The heinous crime committed by the magazine and its cohorts, the cartoonists who drew the blasphemous sketches, must be penalised by the French government for their unpardonable conduct.
M Fazal Elahi
Islamabad