Call to sever ties with France

LAHORE:Religious leaders on Monday demanded the government sever ties with France, expel French ambassador and boycott its products in protest against profane sketches.

Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Senator Sirajul Haq demanded severing all diplomatic relations with France, expelling its ambassador and boycotting its products in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s willful insult of Holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam. He demanded the government convene immediate OIC meeting to evolve a common strategy for protection of the honour of Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said he had also submitted an adjournment motion in the Senate against the acts of French president.

JUI-F deputy secretary general Maulana Amjad Khan said French president hurled an open challenge at Islam. JUI-F Punjab leadership, ameer Dr Ateequr Rehman, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Darkhwasti, Maulana Safiullah, Iqbal Awan, Maulana Naeemuddin, Mufti Abdul Hafeez, Qari Amjad, Maulana Afzal Khan and Hafiz Ghazanfar warned that France had laid bare its enmity against Islam and was bent upon denying religious freedom to Muslim population.

JUP vice-president Qari Zawwar Bahadur said the West knew fully well that Muslims would sacrifice everything for the sake of honour of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Our correspondent adds: Noted religious scholars, Mashaikh and custodians of different shrines in the country expressed confidence in the efforts of Jamaat-e-Islami for creating a lasting unity of Ummah and national solidarity.

Speaking at a Milad-e-Mustafa Conference at Mansoora late Sunday night, hundreds of Ulema and Mashaikh from all over the country condemned the French president’s deliberate blasphemy of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH). Presiding over the conference, Senator Sirajul Haq said that French president’s insulting comments against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and ordering of displaying blasphemous cartoons exposed the weakness and helplessness of the Muslim rulers.

He, however, paid great respect to Turkish president for challenging Emmanuel Macron and taking firm stand in defence of the Muslim world. Divan Maood Masood was the chief guest of the conference.