Blasphemy issue: NA speaker will write to world parliaments

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar will write letters to the speakers/presiding officers of the world parliaments to raise the issue of blasphemy in their parliaments for bringing an end to this practice as it was hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims on the pretext of freedom of expression.

Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar and former speaker and Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza met with National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser at the Parliament House Tuesday. Discussion between them focused on the rising trend of blasphemous remarks and desecration of religious sentiments of Muslims in the Western countries.

It was agreed that the Muslim parliamentarians from Europe and North America would be approached, requesting them to raise the issue of blasphemy in their respective parliaments. They agreed that respecting religious sentiments of each other would help to coexist.

Asad Qaiser said Europe was quite sensitive about the Holocaust, whereas at the same time utterance of blasphemous remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH), hurting the sentiments of Muslims was going on unabated. He urged the Western powers to set same standard for the Holocaust as well as blasphemy. He said such disregard to the religious sentiments was not acceptable on the pretext of freedom of speech. He said desecration of religious sentiments of Muslims was creating barriers rather building bridges. Expressing his views, Punjab governor said he had been maintaining a network of Muslim MPs while he was member of the British Parliament. He said he would revive the network though his connections for raising the issue in the British Parliament.

Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza said utterance of blasphemous remarks have badly hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims around the globe. She said Muslim parliamentarians around the world should raise the issue in their respective parliaments. She assured that she would engage with the woman parliamentarians to raise the issue in their respective parliaments.