How good it would be if, in the face of these ongoing and growing protests, we had a Western leader who would stand up and explain why the freedom of speech is important, and declare that we were determined to defend it. But we don’t.
“Blasphemous caricatures: 30,000 protesters turn up for largest rally yet against French magazine,” Express Tribune, January 25, 2015:
KARACHI: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the city on Sunday in what was the country’s largest protest yet against the publication of blasphemous caricatures by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
In a mammoth rally organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), an estimated 30,000 protesters marched down University Road to Hasan Square, shouting slogans calling for the expulsion of the French ambassador and the severing of diplomatic ties with France. The charged-up demonstrators, who included men, women and children, held red, green and blue placards.
“I believe this is the biggest protest yet on the issue, with 25,000 to 30,000 people in attendance,” Aziz Bhatti SHO Abbas Kolachi told The Express Tribune. “We have made fool-proof security arrangements accordingly.”
As part of these security measures, the thoroughfare leading from Hasan Square to NIPA Chowrangi was blocked for commuters even before noon, although the rally was scheduled to begin at 3pm. Meanwhile, snipers were deployed on top of high-rise buildings around the venue.
At Hasan Square, an improvised stage was set up at the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Karachi Expo Centre, from where JI chief Sirajul Haq addressed the protesters.
The JI social media team had also set up a camp where around 50 activists were busy live-tweeting the event. “The #JIShaneMustafaMarch hashtag is trending among the three most popular topics in Pakistan,” said Sohaib Rashid, a member of the team.
The rally drew support from other political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, as well as the Karachi Bar Council, whose representatives joined the JI chief onstage.
“This rally demands that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif immediately call a meeting of all political and religious parties over the publication of these caricatures ,” said Haq, speaking to the protesters. “It is time to send a message to France and the rest of the Western world that we stand united against their support of blasphemy on the pretext of freedom of expression.”…
Richie says
I wonder why these same Muslims are not condemning the anti semitic cartoons that appear daily in newspapers in Islamic fascist countries? Do they really care about ‘not offending religions’ or is this just about Muslims demanding everyone obey Islamic blasphemy laws?
katnis says
Right. These are the same people that hold cartoon contests about the holocaust. Hypocrites.
gravenimage says
Pious Muslims are not really hypocrites—instead, they are Islamic supremacists. They believe that this enforced inequality is perfectly Islamic, because it is.
cs says
It is ok to demonize unbelievers, specially if it is about “The Prophet killers”. lol
Lee Hicks says
More “moderate” Muslims that we hear so much of…maybe they just don’t ‘understand’ Islam…um, no. They really do, and the “moderate” Muslim is simply a fiction.
Zebo says
Of course these are the moderates:
Their women are even allowed choose the color of their Burqua without asking the husband,
and when being stoned they can even choose shape and size of the stones.
(not so long ago even a woman (bhenazir bhutto) was prime minister,but as soon as islam had its revival the road to hell is wide open.
You don’t need satan if your god is allah)
G179 says
We ♥ Mohammad! (and hate everybody else)
Richie says
Shouldn’t these ‘moderate Muslims’ be protesting groups like Isis who are ‘distorting Islam’ in their campaigns of killing and genocide? one might think their silence on the issue suggests they don’t have a problem with Isis’s killing sprees
Zebo says
In the Western World the fans of free speech say:
“Je suis Hebdo”
In the Orient the fans of 6 year old Aishas huband Mo say
“Je suis Pedo”
(not easy to close this “small” cultural gap)
Ross says
The only good Muslims are the few who misinterpret the Koran.
Zebo says
Most muslims(90%) have no clue what’s written in the quran or hadith therefore they cannot interpret the quran anyway and even
if they cand have developed critical sklls n they are only allowed to interpret the quran in a positiv way.
Therefore the result will always be positiv.
In islam 2+2 is always 5,
and moderate or progressive muslim since the beginning of islam have been attacked by the fundamental muslims.
Muslims only parrot the words their imam is praying
and at best they only know the positiv things that are written.
the result:if the imam is a positiv human being they will be good people and if not,
than its jihad.
gravenimage says
Zebo—with respect—I don’t believe that the idea that most Muslims have no idea how appalling Islam really is holds water.
Were this the case, you would have large numbers of Muslims actively opposing pedophilia, violent Jihad, and crushing of freedom of speech when it comes to “blasphemy”.
Instead, most Muslims who claim any of these horrors are un-Islamic are trying to convince *Infidels*, not their own devout coreligionists. The number of Muslims who actually try to posit a more civilized Islam *to other Muslims* are rare indeed.
Angemon says
gravenimage posted:
“Were this the case, you would have large numbers of Muslims actively opposing pedophilia, violent Jihad, and crushing of freedom of speech when it comes to “blasphemy”.”
Compared to how many people islamo-ignorant people who actively do that?
Oliver says
In my opinion ( and I had attempts at business dealings with them– WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO THEIR ADVANTAGE TO GO AHEAD WITH IT- BUT JEWS WOULD MAKE SOME MONEY, SO NO) THE GOOD MUSLIMS ARE THE DEAD ONES.
Roy C says
Good one Ross – Recently on ‘Red Eye’ a comedian let fly a throw-away line that it’s the moderate Muslims who are perverting Islam, no one, not even Gutfeld picked up on it. Not 1 in 20 Americans have any understanding of the Qur’an nor any interest in it either. Our president speaks at the UN and before the entire world does he say something like – I insist that all fatwas such as the one against Ayaan Hirsi Ali and all others who have bravely spoken out be lifted immediately – well not quite – instead he spoke from the heart, “the future does not belong to those who slander the prophet”. He has his priorities straight, give him that. The reaction in America – hardly a peep.
Oliver says
In America, I DOUBT IF EVEN 5% OF THE PEOPLE EVEN HEARD (ABOUT) HIM SAYING THAT.
I doubt the lame stream media printed it.
Just my view.
if they ( Americans) had heard about it- probably some noise, from those who are against him, anyway.
Angemon says
Don’t forget to tell the whole world that islam has many definitions of “blasphemy”, and one of them is not believing that muhammad was a prophet, an idea held by roughly 5.4 billion* people worldwide. What are you going to do – kill them all?
*7 billion people in the world minus the estimate 1.6 billion muslims
albert says
So 30,000 muslims demonstrate against free speech, who cares? It shouldn’t matter to us in the west if1,6 Billion muslims demonstrate against free speech. We have it , we’re not going to give it up, they can all go to hell with their prophet. Hitler’s Nazis didn’t want us to have free speech either, do they think that we are so much weaker than our grandparents that we will surrender to Mohammed’s Nazis.
katnis says
Dear Pakistan,
We heard you. We see you marching. Guess what? We don’t recognize your “prophet.” We don’t care and we won’t change. And guess what else? We can CHOOSE not to care, and we can choose not to change. Get it?
Ren says
It is OK they protest against freedom of speech, but keep it for themselves. Let’s not impose it over the rest of the world. WHEN are muslims going to understand that?
Georg says
Hear ye hear ye! I have a solution. As Muslims commonly appoint themselves imams and whatever else, I will speak their cultural panguage and hereby declare myself the “Western leader” Robert is hoping would explain the important of free speech. People of Pakistan: We in the West desire free speech because it prevents us from living in a place from Pakistan; that is, unless you all come here and prevent us from exercising said free speech. I hope this helps.
Georg says
*importance
*language
*place like Pakistan
*no more posting from futuristic kuffar phones
Bezelel says
I still think air dropping millions of Charlie Hebdo magazines on pakistan would be the right thing to do.
Oliver says
I think dropping millions of pounds of spoiled pork products would be better; of poison laced chocolates.
Cheaper then bombs;
gravenimage says
Pakistan: 30,000 rally against Charlie Hebdo and the freedom of speech
………………………………
I just heard from my local independent magazine shop, which has been trying to get in copies of Charlie Hebdo that they have just heard from their distributor that they were successful. I’m picking up my copy tomorrow.
Je Suis Charlie!
duh_swami says
All these Charlie demonstrations are at the bottom, attacks on free speech.
To them I give the middle finger salute, and a loud raspberry.
I also have a spare for the IOC at the UN…
Michael Copeland says
In the West a big demonstration indicates much individual support.
In Pakistan, with no freedom of speech, it indicates obedience – submission.
Didn’t they submit well!
duh_swami says
From Graven above…I don’t believe that the idea that most Muslims have no idea how appalling Islam really is holds water.
I think they know all about it but they don’t seem to consider it appalling.
Those who don’t, can’t, read Quran talk to those who do and listen to their Imam..I think they understand the value of obeying Allah’s every command.
None of them are as innocent as they would have us believe.
robin says
Sunday is not a day of rest in muslim countries, so don’t these people have anything else to do, like going to work? Given that islam is just a long list of things forbidden, and doesn’t actually give anything except permission to practice violence, rape and killing anyone who doesn’t believe the same as you, and rewarded by dreams of a hypothetical after-life, and does not contribute one iota to the development and improvement of mankind, why are the western governments supporting this régime in Pakistan. If all aid were stopped, the people might just start to realise that islam has nothing positive to offer anyone.
Mattt-ن says
30000!!!
Well that was an easy kill..
LOL
Oliver says
2 comments.
1. How many of these (supposed) 30,000 EVEN SAW THE CARTOONS?
2. 30,000 Pakistanis know how to read? That is shocking.
And, it was my understanding, the magazine was published in FRENCH, not whatever it is is the main language of Pakistan.
So, there are 30,000 people, 9 who as someone else said, didn’t they have something better to do, like go to work?) speak or at least can read French?
I doubt the first part of the 2nd item, which makes the last part almost rhetorical.
Oliver says
IF Pakistan breaks diplomatic relations with France, will they still want France to give them aide? And take their useless people?
I think (99% sure) the answer is YES to both, especially the aide.
The rulers need to live well, while the masses live in squalor and poverty.