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Musharraf to raise blasphemous cartoons issue with Bush

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Gen. Musharraf urged the international community to work together for the prevention of acts of blasphemy, which are inimical to inter-faith harmony and the cause of world peace

ISLAMABAD: Ahead of the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday presided over a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on the issue of offensive cartoons against Prophet Muhammed and said he would seek the help of Mr. Bush on Pakistan's diplomatic initiatives on the subject.

Stricter laws sought

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri told a news conference here that Pakistan would like stricter laws to prevent publication of blasphemous material against any religion.

Asked for his comments of Mr. Bush in Kabul on the presence of Al-Qaeda militants and Taliban in Pakistan, Mr. Kasuri said, "Mr. Bush would hear a lot from us on Pakistan-Afghanistan when he holds discussions with Pakistani leadership."

Gen. Musharraf appears to have convened the NSC to deflect attention from the political campaign by the religious parties against him and his regime. It is also perhaps an effort to convey a message to Mr. Bush on the rage the cartoons caused within Pakistan.

Representatives of the religious parties on the Council, who had stayed away from it in protest against Gen. Musharraf's decision to retain his army job, took part in the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Gen. Musharraf said Pakistan was in the forefront of efforts to ban publication of blasphemous material against any religion through international legislation.

He urged the international community to work together for the prevention of acts of blasphemy, which are inimical to inter-faith harmony and the larger cause of world peace and development.

"We are working at the OIC and the United Nations to get a necessary legislation passed to ensure that the freedom of the Press is not misused to hurt sentiments and revered values of followers of any religion."

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