KARACHI - Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has stressed the US and the UN to declare the blasphemy as international crime and announced to take up the issue in United Nations and OIC.

The prime minister was addressing a gathering organised at CM House Karachi for distributing cheques of Rs0.4 million to each of the legal heirs of victims who lost their lives in factory of Baldia area in the City. The premier also expressed his grief over the loss of lives during the violent protest of Youm-e-Ishq-Rasool as the protests took an ugly turn resulting in loss of life and property of the people. He said that the Pakistan government would take up the issue of blasphemous film in the United Nations and OIC and would demand to declare the blasphemy as international crime.
In his address, the premier also said that he talked with the provincial governments through chief ministers, who told him of taking all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of the life and property of the people. He directed the provincial government to keep a strict eye on miscreants and the subversive elements who want to exploit the situation and create law and order situation for their personal gains and ulterior motives.
The prime minister also directed the chief ministers to solicit the good offices of Ulema and Mashaikh and utilise their services to imbue in the people the teachings of Islam and message of peace and harmony given by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He once again appealed to the people of Pakistan to follow Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). “We Muslims as the followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) should follow his Hadith where the Prophet (PBUH) said, “He is not a Muslim if his tongue and hands harm other Muslims”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ashraf and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Saturday distributed compensation cheques among the heirs of the deceased and the injured workers of the Baldia Town factory fire incident. The inferno killed over 250 and injured hundreds of other workers of the factory. During a ceremony at the Chief Minister House here, the prime minister gave cheques of Rs 0.4 million each for the deceased and Rs1,00,000 million each for the injured of the fire incident. While the chief minister gave cheques of Rs 0.3 million each for those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 each for the injured of the fire incident. The prime minister also directed the Federal Ministry of Labour and Manpower to give Rs 50,0000 each to heirs of the workers killed in the inferno.
On the request of Pakistan People’s Party MNA, Faryal Talpur, Malik Riaz of Bahria Town had donated Rs 0.2 million each for the deceased. These cheques were distributed among their heirs last week at the Governor House by Faryal Talpur and Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan.
The total financial support so far given to the victims’ families amounted to Rs 0.9 million each. While Rs 0.5 million each would be given from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Manpower as per directives of the prime minister. Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan, Punjab Governor  Latif Khosa, Federal Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Khursheed Shah and Federal Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Deputy Speaker Syeda Shehla Raza, Sindh ministers, MPSbesides the families of the deceased and the injured were present on the occasion.