LAHORE - Prominent leaders of various religions and schools of thought on Tuesday strongly condemned the desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark, saying that those who desecrated the Holy Quran and sacred things are not the representative of any religion.
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi and President of Church of Pakistan Bishop Azad Marshall stated this while talking to media men after a joint meeting of leaders of different religions organized by PUC and Church of Pakistan here. Pastor Aminul Khokhar, Maulana Asadullah Farooq, Maulana Zubair Abid, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Siddiqui, Qari Abdul Hakeem Athar and other religious leaders were also present.
Continuing with the mission of peace in Pakistan and abroad, they vowed, the Church of Pakistan and Pakistan Ulema Council would strive till the end of sacrilege, and for promotion of interfaith tolerance and harmony. All the divine books, prophets and holy messengers are respected, and sacrilege of holy things is not permissible under any circumstances. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and United Nations Organization (UNO) should make effective efforts and put in order comprehensive measures in this regard, they demanded.
Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said that leaders of all religions and sects living in Pakistan strongly condemn the burning of Holy Quran as well as the permission to burn the Gospel in Sweden and Denmark. It is not justified to insult any divine religion or book in the name of freedom of expression, he added.
Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi mentioned that Church of Pakistan and the PUC supported the standpoint of the OIC under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, Pope Francis, the Bishop of Canterbury, Rabita Aalam Islami and the Government of Pakistan. “The sacrilege of divine books and sacred things must stop. We demand that the path of dialogue must be adopted, and violence, extremism and hatred must be eliminated,” he maintained.
