Thousands rally in Pakistan against French magazine caricatures

Thousands of people rallied in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Sunday against a French magazine for publishing caricatures of Prophet Muhammad and urged the United Nations to declare blasphemy as a crime.

French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo had published controversial depiction of the Prophet Mohammad after members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) killed 12 people in an attack on its office in Paris earlier this month.

Jamaat-e-Islami party staged the demonstration which the organizers said was the biggest so far held in Pakistan against the blasphemous cartoons.

Jamaat chief Siraj ul Haq strongly condemned the publication of the cartoons, which he said have hurt the religious feelings of over one billion Muslims across the world.

"I urge the United Nations to adopt a law to ban the insulting on religion," Haq told the gathering that was also attended by hundreds of women.

The participants were chanting slogans against Charlie Hebdo. They were also holding placards and banners against the French magazine.

The Jamaat chief also called on Muslim leaders to raise the issue at every forum so no one can degrade religion under any excuses. He demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif convene a meeting of the Islamic countries on the issue.

Haq also dismissed the notion of the French magazine that it had published the caricature as freedom of expression.

"No one should misuse the freedom of the press to commit blasphemy," he said, adding that everyone should respect all religions.

The rally ended peacefully in the presence of a large number of policemen and paramilitary troops.

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