ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri has called upon all Muslim countries to join hands and effectively respond through diplomatic and political channels to the republication of blasphemous caricatures in France and its support by the French president.

“Merely criticism by only few Muslim countries would put no pressure on France,” he said while talking to a private news channel.

The minister said defending the display of such sketches by the French president was a matter of great concern as his statement was highly provoking.

He said the National Assembly had passed a resolution against it asking the OIC to boycott the French government. He said an important decision to this effect would be made in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (today).

It should be noted that the National Assembly through a unanimous resolution has condemned republication of the caricatures of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallah o allaih Wasallam Khatam un Nabiyeen and desecration of the Holy Quran in Norway and Sweden.

The resolution moved by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi condemned the recent blasphemous acts by mischievous elements in some parts of the world.

It expressed serious concern at the highly disturbing statements and hate mongering, especially by leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron, justifying unlawful provocation and insult to the sentiments of more than a billion Muslims through such hate driven acts under the garb of freedom of expression.