In a message sent to Fides news agency, Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi rejects the caricatures depicting Mohammed and invites people to live in peace with other religions and cultures, without hurting their feelings.

In his letter, he writes:

“Disseminating caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam, creates disharmony among nations, countries and religions in the world and has a negative influence on world peace. (…) We deplore and are saddened by the cartoons spread by a magazine based in Paris. These offensive acts are contrary to freedom of expression as they not only hurt the feelings of Muslims, but also of people of other religions”. 

Christians in Pakistan say the Cardinal wants to express their unity with the Muslims of Pakistan and the world, as a sign of solidarity, invoking respect for all religions,  their signs and symbols, and strongly condemn any terrorist act carried out in the name of religion.

Fr. Saleh Diego, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Karachi and Director of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace agrees and asks the French authorities “to intervene in order to avoid such actions which undermine the unity and peace among people of different religions”.

The priests highlighted that the Christian Church in Pakistan rejects any kind of blasphemous or sacrilegious acts against religions which undermines world peace and the spirit of brotherhood among peoples by fanning the fire of terrorist violence.

Source: Fides.org