Rasmus Paludan, a conservative Swedish-Danish politician, violation Holy Quran in Sweden on Saturday, an act that Pakistan strongly condemned as being “abhorrent and Islamophobic” and hurtful to the 1.5 billion-strong Muslim population worldwide.
The burning of the Holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Friday by Paludan, the head of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), drew quick outrage from Muslim nations throughout the world, including Pakistan.
Pakistan Saturday vehemently deplored the ‘abhorrent and Islamophobic’ act of the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden by a hardline Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, stressing that the move hurt the sentiments of 1.5 billion-strong Muslim community across the globe.
Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), burned the Holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Friday, which immediately sparked condemnations from Muslim countries across the world, including Pakistan.
Turkey and several Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kuwait denounced the act.
“Saudi Arabia calls for spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, and rejects hatred and extremism,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The move has drawn severe criticism from Turkey as well, with Ankara calling off a visit by Sweden’s defense minister and mentioning that “it’s a racist action, it’s not about freedom of expression”.
According to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the religious sensibilities of billions of Muslims throughout the world are harmed by this stupid and aggressive Islamophobic act.
According to the ministry, such actions were not protected by any appropriate exercise of the right to freedom of expression or of opinion, which came with obligations under international human rights law, including the duty not to spread hate speech and encourage violence.
“Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims worldwide, including those in Pakistan, believe in respecting all religions. These standards must be followed by all parties, “The Foreign Office declared.
The ministry urged the international community to band together and work toward establishing interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence in order to resist Islamophobia, xenophobia, intolerance, and incitement to violence based on religion or belief.
The authorities in Sweden have been informed of Pakistan’s concerns, it said, and are being urged to take note of Muslim feelings and prevent Islamophobic acts.
In the past, Paludan, who is also a Swedish citizen, has torched the Holy Quran during a number of protests.
According to the police permit that Paludan got, his protest was held in opposition to Islam and what was referred to as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s intention to restrict free speech in Sweden.
Paludan’s announcement of a Holy Quran burning “tour” for the holy month of Ramadan in April of last year caused riots throughout Sweden.