Daily Times

Pakistan has been here before. At the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), that is. Protesting a cartoon competition depicting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This time around it is Geert Wilders, the Dutch anti-Islam politician, who has cast himself as the usual suspect in terms of inflaming Muslim passions around the world. The interim Foreign minister has written a letter to the OIC secretary-general with a view to having all 57 member states registering formal complaints with Copenhagen.

Wilders infamously wants to see the Holy Quran as well as mosques banned on Dutch soil; terming Islam a totalitarian faith. Thus it would be easy to put the cartoon endeavour down to populist opportunism. Except that his Freedom Party (PVV) is now Holland’s leading opposition force following the March polls. Thereby suggesting that he is not courting the popular vote so much as ensuring that he hangs on to it. Equally troubling is the fact that the contest, announced last month but scheduled for the autumn, is all set to take place at party offices; which effectively means inside Parliament. Not only that, Dutch counter-terrorism agency NCTV has green-lighted the exercise. Despite the country having emerged as a known Al Qaeda recruiting ground for jihadists wanting to try their luck in Yemen and Somalia. Regardless of whether or not this still remains the case, such networks prove extremely difficult to dismantle, especially in terms of active contacts.

The man judging the competition that offers GBP 4,000 for first prize is American Bosh Fawstin; winner of a similar contest in Texas some three years ago. That event was targeted by two gunmen and took place just months after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris.

The Pakistani move to approach OIC is the right one. It may then take the matter to the United Nations. Though both avenues have in the past failed to do little more than expose their respective impotency in such matters. Be that as it may, the country must demonstrate its credentials as a responsible member of the international community. This is particularly vital given the turbulent time it is passing through both at home and at certain global forums. What the state now needs to do is categorically distance itself from the incendiary comments by religious party head and electoral contender who threatened to destroy Holland.

For by feeding into the incitement narrative it simply allows Wilders to win yet another round. And that has to be bad news for everyone.  *

Published in Daily Times, July 20^th 2018.