Punjab arts Council (PAC) on Friday organized a protest rally from Murree road to arts council to mark ‘Sanctity of Quran Day’. The rally was led by Director Arts Council Waqar Ahmad; Assistant Director Arts Council Muhammad Suleman was also present on this occasion. The participants of the rally have demanded severe punishment for those who blaspheme the Qur'an in Sweden. Addressing the participants, Director Arts Council Waqar Ahmed said that Islam is a universal religion, with reference to its beliefs, rules, traditions and values, its invitation is not for any nation, race or region, but for the entire human race. Desecration of the Holy Quran, religious tolerance, mutual respect, civility and decency is a bigoted and hateful act that cannot be tolerated in any way, he added.

 Assistant Director Muhammad Suleman said that United Nations celebrated the International Day against Islamophobia in March this year and acknowledged that desecration of the Holy Quran, profane cartoons and derogatory remarks about Islam are hurting the sentiments of Muslims. Discrimination is being allowed through Islamophobia, which the United Nations needs to take action against, he added. A large number of artists from Rawalpindi Islamabad including Anjum Khabibi, Afzal Latifi, Manoor Khan Afridi, Ali Shan, Rahat Ahmad Khan, Aamir Chaudhry, Basitullah Chaudhry, Arshad Khan, Shama Adil and others members of civil society participated in the rally.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP