Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has told his Dutch counterpart that the planned competition of blasphemous caricatures by an ‘Islamophobe parliamentarian’ in the Netherlands must be prevented as such acts spread hate and intolerance in societies, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Wednesday.

“In a phone call to Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok on Tuesday, the foreign minister expressed his deepest concern on the announcement of abominable and sacrilegious competition by anti-Islam Dutch parliamentarian Greet Wilders,” said the statement. “He [FM Qureshi] said that this deliberate effort under the pretext of freedom of expression was of great concern to the Muslims across the world. Such acts must be prevented as they spread hate and intolerance in societies,” it added.

The Dutch FM assured that his government was neither associated with nor supporting the competition, conveying that this was the act of an individual.

The two foreign ministers agreed to work together and coordinate in the matter.

UK High Commissioner: British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew on Wednesday told Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that his government wanted to enhance cooperation with Islamabad in all areas of interest, including trade and investment, peace and security and development.

Qureshi thanked the high commissioner and emphasised on the need to promote trade and economic linkages and greater people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

UAE envoy: Separately, Ambassador of UAE to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi made a courtesy call on foreign minister to congratulate him on assuming his office.

Talking to the visiting dignitary, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that forging cordial relations with the UAE would be one of the priorities of his government. He said being an important trade and investment partner of Pakistan and home to 1.6 million Pakistani diaspora, the UAE had a special place in the hearts of the Pakistani people.

Published in Daily Times, August 30^th 2018.