Pakistanis protest Koran burning in Sweden

Hundreds of people staged a protest in Muslim-majority Pakistan on Tuesday to voice outrage over the torching of the Koran in Sweden over the weekend.

Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan on Saturday set fire to a copy of the Islamic holy book in front of Turkey’s embassy in the Swedish capital, stoking the anger of Ankara which said it would not support the Scandinavian country’s bid for NATO membership.

Protesters chanted “Shame on Sweden” at the rally in the megacity of Lahore, heeding a call from local political parties.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Sunday: “The garb of the freedom of expression cannot be used to hurt the religious emotions of 1.5 billion Muslims across the world. This is unacceptable.”

Furious that Paludan was allowed by police to carry out the protest, Ankara cancelled a visit by Sweden’s defence minister and summoned Stockholm’s ambassador.

The incident was condemned by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who tweeted: “Freedom of expression is a fundamental part of democracy. But what is legal is not necessarily appropriate. Burning books that are holy to many is a deeply disrespectful act.”

“I want to express my sympathy for all Muslims who are offended by what has happened in Stockholm today.”

Blasphemy and insults to Islam are galvanising issues in Pakistan which has regularly raised its concerns of rising Islamophobia across the world on the international stage.

Demonstrations against Paludan’s burning of the Koran broke out in Iraq on Monday and Indonesia summoned Sweden’s envoy on Tuesday over the incident.