Islamabad: Pakistan strongly condemned yet another abhorrent act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement on Monday.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson of MoFA, said that the recurrence of such “wilful and vile acts” was a troubling manifestation of growing hatred, racism and phobia against Muslims and their faith.
“The repeated occurrence of such premeditated acts calls into question the efficacy of the legal framework behind which Islamophobes hide and incite hatred with impunity. The exercise of the right to freedom of expression cannot be used as a smokescreen to deliberately denigrate the Holy Scriptures or personalities of any religion.”
🔊: PR NO. 6️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣
Pakistan strongly condemns another abhorrent act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark
🔗⬇️https://t.co/vOuVqy7Zc7 pic.twitter.com/7diUya6OcP
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 27, 2023
She said that Pakistan called on all states to develop legal deterrence with a view to preventing and prosecuting such acts, in line with the responsibilities and duties enshrined in international human rights law.
“We also call upon the international human rights machinery to speak out against such intentional actions that constitute an incitement to hate, discrimination and violence against Muslims solely because of their faith,” the statement further read.
This is not the first time that the vile act of desecration of the Holy Quran has taken place in Denmark.
Earlier this year, in yet another Islamophobic, provocative, and sacrilegious act, far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque in Denmark.
The incident took place days after Paludan, the leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), burned a copy of the Holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on January 21 under police protection and with permission from the authorities.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office condemned the vile act in the “strongest terms”.
“This repetition of the vile act leaves little doubt in the minds of Muslims around the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly abused to spread religious hatred and incitement to violence,” the FO had said.
