French President Emmanuel Macron has landed himself in hot waters – particularly with Muslims around the globe – for promoting Islamophobia through his recent comments. The premier’s remarks on blasphemous caricatures, calling them “encouragement of Islamophobia” did not sit well with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as a handful of Pakistani celebrities who have now condemned Macron’s act. Last week, the latter condemned Islamists and promised not to “give up cartoons” depicting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also stated that Samuel Paty, a professor who was murdered recently for showing the blasphemous sketches, was “killed because Islamists want our future”. From Hamza Ali Abbasi to Feroze Khan, Pakistani artists are demanding an apology from Macron.
PM Khan went to the extent of writing a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to enforce a ban on Islamophobia and disrespectful content against Muslims. His note read, “I am writing to draw your attention to the growing Islamophobia that is encouraging hate, extremism and violence across the world and especially through the use of social media platforms including Facebook. I appreciate your taking the step to rightly ban any posting that criticises or questions the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom of the Jews in Germany and across Europe as Nazis spread across Europe.”
It is ur right to disagree & criticise but IT IS NOT UR RIGHT TO MOCK WITH THE INTENT TO DELIBERATELY INSULT & PROVOKE, its immoral, unethical and uncivilised and the only way we Muslims can make the world understand that is solely by peace & dialogue not murder, war & hostility.
— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) October 27, 2020
Parwaaz Hai Junoon star Abbasi tweeted, “”It is your right to disagree and criticise but it is not your right to mock with the intent to deliberately insult and provoke. It’s immoral, unethical and uncivilized. The only way we Muslims can make the world understand that is solely by peace and dialogue – not murder, war and hostility.” He questioned, “What if Muslims organise a contest of throwing cow meat on a Ram statue? Or who can slaughter the most pigs in a synagogue or who can spit on a cross with the most accuracy. It’s evil. The same applies in the case of making insulting cartoons of a man held sacred by more than 1.5 billion people.” And we could not agree more!
– Prophet Mohammad ﷺ before anyone. #MacronApologizeToMuslims #boycottfrenchproducts
— Feroze Khan (@ferozekhaan) October 27, 2020
If France is indeed a republic then there should be liberty there not insults upon anothers religion. I completely and whole heartedly protest against this blatent disrespect of our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH) this needs to stop.
— Ahsan Khan (@Ahsankhanuk) October 27, 2020
Macron: France will not give up our cartoons.
Also Macron: Muslim nations please give up your call to boycott French goods.
If you have the freedom to hate, we have the freedom to reject your hate.#boycottfrenchproducts— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) October 26, 2020
Following suit, Feroze Khan penned, “Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) before anyone. #MacronApologizetoMuslims #Boycottfrenchproducts.” His post was liked by thousands of Muslims who felt Macron’s comments were ignorant and hurt religious sentiments. Udaari actor Ahsan Khan expressed great disappointment in the French president too. Taking to Twitter, he posted, “If France is indeed a republic then there should be liberty there not insults upon another’s religion. I completely and whole heartedly protest against this blatant disrespect of our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH) this needs to stop.” Former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also shared his two cents on the micro-blogging site. He wrote, “Macron: France will not give up our cartoons. Also Macron: Muslim nations please give up your call to boycott French goods. If you have the freedom to hate, we have the freedom to reject your hate. #boycottfrenchproducts.”
