Islamabad (Agencies): Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok has assured his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi that his government was neither associated nor supporting the competition, conveying that this was the act of an individual.
Qureshi spoke with Blok over the telephone to discuss the issue of blasphemous caricatures completion by anti-Islam Dutch parliamentarian Greet Wilders, said a statement issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the conversation, Foreign Minister Qureshi expressed deep concern over the announcement of the abominable and sacrilegious competition by Party of Freedom leader Greet Wilders.
“He [FM Qureshi] said that this deliberate effort under the pretext of freedom of expression was of great concern to the Muslims across the world. Such acts must be prevented as they spread hate and intolerance in societies,” said the press release.
The Dutch FM assured that his government was neither associated nor supporting the competition, conveying that this was the act of an individual, the statement.
Earlier, Pakistan wrote a letter to the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the issue of blasphemous content, asking him to call a meeting in Jeddah of OIC permanent representatives.
Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said if steps were not taken against blasphemy it would ignite religious extremism.
The Senate had adopted a unanimous resolution against the blasphemous caricature competition in Netherlands.
The resolution was tabled by newly elected Leader of the House Shibli Faraz.
The resolution stated that a caricature competition will be held at the end of the year in Netherlands and the Pakistani government should summon the Dutch envoy to record protest.
It was mentioned in the resolution that the government should raise the issue of blasphemous caricatures in the United Nations Security Council.
