Hawzah News Agency - Officials and religious and cultural figures in the Punjab province of Pakistan have condemned the re-publishing of the insulting cartoons against the Holy Prophet of Islam (S A) by the French satiric magazine Charlie Hebdo.

According to the Public Relations Department of  Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO), Publication of insulting cartoons of the Holy Prophet of Islam (SA), first time in 2012, by the  French Magazine "Charlie Hebdo started a wave of anger in the Islamic world. Despite worldwide criticism and condemnation, the French newspaper not only did not apologize and but adamantly  stated that there was a law of freedom of expression in France that should not be undermined.

That is why, on January 7, 2015, two Algerian Muslim brothers living in France, entered the Paris office of the magazine and killed 12 people, including a cartoonist, a newspaper editor, and other employees of the magazine, and the al-Qaeda terrorist group claimed the responsibility of the attack.. Following the attack in France and the harsh reaction by French police against Muslims, there were numerous demonstrations and marches across the country, in which more than 130 Muslims and non-Muslims protesters were killed in clashes with police..

it should be said that, that was not the first time that a western magazine published cartoons of the Holy Prophet (SA).In 2005, controversial cartoons of the holy Prophet (SA) were published in the Danish newspaper "Jyllands-Posten".

In late August 2020, the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo once again decided to re-publish the same cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (SA) which in 2015 led to a terrorist attack on a newspaper office in Paris. Re-publication of the same insulting materials once again has sparked widespread protests around the world.

Publication of any kind of graphics and cartoon, caricature and image of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is forbidden in Islam and such act is considered as blasphemy. For this reason, the repeated action by the French magazine has caused a new wave of grief and anger in Muslim countries, and in addition to France itself, Muslims in several other countries, such as Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Chechnya, Yemen, etc., have condemned this disgraceful act.

As in the rest of the Islamic world, thousands of people in Pakistan took part in various demonstrations and marches against the French magazine. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has also condemned the insult to the Prophet Mohammad(SA), and in a statement issued in tweeter, has condemned the decision by the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo, to re-publish the insulting cartoons.

Many religious leaders and figures across Pakistan have condemned the French newspaper"s ugly act and have called for a boycott of French products and the expulsion of the French Ambassador.

Punjab Parliament Speaker Asad Qaisar condemned the decision of the French magazine to re-publish the caricatures of the Prophet (SA) and said: "The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SA) is a great blessing for the whole world and no one is allowed to hurt the feelings of Muslims. We will raise this issue globally and thwart any attempts aimed at dividing Muslims, said Asad Qaisar.

Pakistani Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Noorulhaq Qaderi said this act of a French magazine insulting the Holy Prophet of Islam one more time is an attempt to create hatred and disunity among different religions." The efforts of French journalists to insult the Prophet (SA) and humiliate his character is a futile act because God Almighty has promised to preserve the honor and dignity of the his Prophet (SA) until the Day of Judgment.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the media that this was a deliberate act by a French magazine that has upset the feelings of billions of Muslims and could not be justified as freedom of expression.

"Pakistan is a democracy and democracy believes in freedom of expression," said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. But freedom of speech does not allow anyone to hurt the feelings of others.

Meanwhile, the wave of hatred and disgust against the cowardly act of the mentioned magazine continues.