Pakistan: religious party promises reward for murder of Danish cartoonists
The Pakistani urdu daily Nawa-i-Waqt has reported that Shahid Gilani, President of the youth organisation Shabab-i-Milli attached to religious party Jamaat-e-Islami, promised, at a recent rally, a 500 000 rupee (7000 Euro) reward for anyone who kills the cartoonist who drew caricatures of Mohammed. This comes after Jyllands Posten and Reporters Without Borders reported death threats were issued from inside Denmark against two of the cartoonists.
They prompted an official letter of protest to be sent to the Prime Minister urging him to force the newspaper to give an official apology for the cartoons as well as an announcement by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference that the issue would be put on the agenda of its summit this month. (see previous posting and here)
Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded that all Danish representatives in Pakistan be expelled from the country.
The Danish Ambassador to Pakistan Bent Wigotski has stated he will not leave, but has warned that those who wish to see the cartoonists dead may in their anger target other Danes in their path: "They might want to get to the Danish illustrators, but if they can't reach them, they could make to with a scapegoat."
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning to all its citizens not to travel to Pakistan.According to The Copenhagen Post, Jyllands Posten has issued no comment concerning the bounty.
Pakistan's Ambassador to Denmark Javed Qureshi has denounced the death threats, saying the following: "No Pakistani government would ever support such a thing, I'm sure that the current government will take action in the case. I can't imagine that a bounty like that doesn't violate Pakistani legislation."
The World Editors Forum reiterates its position in defense of the freedom of expression of Jyllands Posten and condemns the bounty reward announced by Jamaat-e-Islami along with all death threats made to the Danish cartoonists.
Sources: Modern Tribalist, Jyllands Posten, Denmark.dk
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