LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday observed “Yaum-e-Taqaddus-e-Quran” to lodge the protest against desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden. Taqadus-e-Quran conference was also held on the occasion.
LCCI President Kashif Anwar presided over the conference while Senior Vice President Zafar Mahmood Chaudhry, Bishop of Lahore Nadeem Kamran, Sikh Community Leader Bushan Singh, Islamic Scholar, Tariq Sharif Zada, Chairman All Pakistan Ulma Board Maulana Asim Makhdoom, LCCI EC Members Mian Atiq-ur-Rehman, Raja Hassan Akhter, representatives of Sikh, Christian, Hindu communities, market leaders and people from different walks of life were present.
A peaceful protest was also demonstrated, the participants of which expressed their discontent over the desecration of the Holy Quran. All the participants strongly condemned desecration of the Holy Quran saying that it is a vile act of racism.
LCCI President Kashif Anwar said that the business community strongly condemned this tragic incident and urges the international community to take a strong stand against this ugly act as this is not the freedom of expression but the terrorism.
He said that it is a good omen that the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) immediately convened a meeting and other countries are also condemning but strong action is needed to stop such vile acts in future.
The LCCI president said that desecration of the Holy Quran or any other Holy book is a crime. He said that racism should not have any place in any part of the world.
Kashif Anwar said that all the countries around the globe should take effective measures to avoid such ugly acts.
He said that such willful despicable act cannot be justified under the pretext of freedom of expression.
The LCCI chief said that the government should conveyed the concern about the ugly act to the international community and should also demand concrete measures to prevent the rising incidents of Islamophobia as the act has hurt the sentiments of billions of Muslims.
Bishop of Lahore Nadeem Kamran said that the desecration of the Holy Quran is a sad incident and the Christian community stands by the side of the Muslims. He said that no religion allows the desecration of another religion. The person who committed this act in Sweden is an Iraqi citizen, the Swedish government should have stopped it.
Minority leader Bishan Singh said that no one has the right to desecrate Islam. He said that the entire Sikh community strongly condemns the desecration of the Holy Quran. He said that a law should be made under which desecration of any religion should be declared as a crime.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023