ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday has summoned French ambassador to record strong protest against blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).

According to details, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan will strictly fight this case in front of the French ambassador. Earlier, Pakistan had condemned systematic Islamophobic campaign under the garb of freedom of expression.

Foreign Office, in a statement issued, said Pakistan condemns in the strongest manner the systematic resurgence of blasphemous acts of republication of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) and desecration of the Holy Quran by certain irresponsible elements in some developed countries.

It said we are further alarmed at highly disturbing statements by certain politicians justifying such heinous acts under the garb of freedom of expression and equating Islam with terrorism, for narrow electoral and political gains.

It said under international human rights law, the exercise of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities.

The Foreign Office said dissemination of racist ideas, defamation and ridiculing of other religions, denigration of religious personalities, hate speech, and incitement to violence are not allowed expressions of this fundamental freedom.

It said such illegal and Islamophobic acts fanning inter-religious hatred, hostility and confrontation, are the very basis of horrendous terrorist acts like Christ Church, thereby imperiling future prospects of peace and harmony among civilizations.

Whilst having anti-blasphemy and criminal laws for sensitive issues such as denial of Holocaust, the justification by a few politicians in some Western countries for insulting sentiments of Muslims, is a blatant reflection of double standards.

The Foreign Office statement said that such justifications seriously erode their human rights credentials. NNI