ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday condemned the latest “senseless” act of desecration of the Qur’an in the Netherlands in front of a number of embassies of Muslim countries.
Anti-Islam activists have burnt and damaged several copies of the Muslim holy book in recent months, prompting outrage in the Muslim world and demands the nations’ governments ban such acts.
Intentionally burning the Qur’an is seen by Muslims as a blasphemous and insulting act worthy of severe punishment.
“Pakistan condemns in the strongest terms the latest senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of the Holy Qur’an that took place in The Hague, the Netherlands in front of some embassies of OIC member countries including Pakistan,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“It is a deliberately provocative and Islamophobic act that has hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world. Such acts cannot be condoned under the guise of freedom of expression, opinion and protest.”
The foreign office said Pakistan believed freedom of expression came with responsibilities and governments should actively prevent racist and Islamophobic acts that incite religious hatred.
“Pakistan’s concerns have been conveyed to the Dutch authorities. We urge them to be mindful of the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world and take active steps to prevent such hateful and Islamophobic acts.”
Last month the United Nations Human Rights Council approved a disputed resolution on religious hatred in the wake of the burning of a Qur’an in Sweden, prompting concern by Western states who say it challenges long-held practices in rights protection.
Pakistan condemns latest desecration of Qur’an in the Netherlands
https://arab.news/63n7p
Pakistan condemns latest desecration of Qur’an in the Netherlands
- Anti-Islam activists have burnt, damaged several copies of Muslim holy book in recent months
- Desecrations have enraged Muslims, unleashed demands governments ban such acts
Pakistan steps up EU trade engagement as India deal raises export fears
- Deputy PM chairs inter-ministerial meeting, calls GSP+ “crucial” for growth
- Move follows India–EU trade pact that industry warns could hit exports, jobs
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday chaired a high-level inter-ministerial meeting to review and strengthen trade and economic relations with the European Union, as Islamabad scrambles to safeguard market access following India’s new trade deal with the bloc.
The meeting is part of a broader diplomatic and policy push this week after India and the EU confirmed a free trade agreement granting Indian exporters sweeping tariff-free access to Europe — a development Pakistani exporters and analysts warn could erode Pakistan’s competitiveness, particularly in textiles, its largest export sector.
The EU is Pakistan’s second-largest export market, accounting for about $9 billion in annual shipments, mostly textiles and apparel. Industry leaders have warned that India’s tariff-free access could undercut Pakistan’s long-standing advantage under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which allows duty-free access in return for commitments on labor rights, human rights and governance.
At Friday’s meeting, Dar emphasized the centrality of GSP+ to Pakistan’s trade strategy with Europe.
“He emphasized that GSP Plus remains a crucial framework for mutually beneficial trade and underlined the need to maximize its potential for Pakistan’s economic growth,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Dar also stressed the importance of enhancing trade cooperation with the EU and exploring new avenues for economic engagement, as Pakistan assesses how to respond to shifting trade dynamics in Europe.
The inter-ministerial huddle follows a series of rapid consultations this week, including a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the EU’s ambassador to Pakistan, as well as briefings by trade bodies to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on the potential impact of the India–EU agreement.
Exporters have warned that unless Pakistan lowers production costs, particularly energy tariffs, and secures continued preferential access, the country could face declining market share in Europe and job losses across its labor-intensive textile sector.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has said Islamabad is aware of the India–EU agreement and continues to view its trade relationship with the EU as mutually beneficial, but officials acknowledge that the new deal has intensified pressure to defend Pakistan’s position within the bloc.
