Blasphemy: Traders join hands for French goods boycott

LAHORE: Traders across the country started consultation for nationwide shutter down strike and boycott of French products following the publication of blasphemous sketches in France, and backing of French President Emmanuel Macron to this offensive act.

The traders also asked the government of Pakistan to extradite French ambassador in Pakistan and call back Pakistani ambassador to France. “The government should impose ban on all French imports, besides cancelling franchise and dealerships of any of the French goods in Pakistan”.

The above demands were made in a meeting of Anjuman–e–Tajran, chaired by its central president Ashraf Bhatti, attended by Central Secretary General Mehboob Sirki, Lahore President Mian Tariq Feroze and representatives of other markets. The traders across the province also contacted its central leadership to chalk out collective strategy on this sensitive issue.

The traders’ representatives said that French government’s backing to this blasphemous act has hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world and Pakistan should cease all relations with the France government.

“Further, the government of Pakistan should send delegations to Muslim world including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia to unite them for a global agitation against France,” they stressed.

The traders sought Pakistan government’s help to make French goods boycott successful. “The government of Pakistani should officially announce a boycott campaign against French products.

The French government should officially apologize to Muslims and take stern action with exemplary punishment against those responsible for the blasphemous act.”