Faisalabad: September 27, 2012. (PCP) Peace and Human Development (PHD Foundation) in collaboration with Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) and CARE Foundation organized a seminar entitled “Respect of Faiths for Peace and Harmony” to observe International Day of Peace on 21st September 2012. The event bringing together 90 Christian and Muslim participants including; religious leaders, political workers, lawyers, students, local peace committee members and representatives of civil society organizations, held at Bar Council Hall in Tandlianwala, sub-district of Faisalabad District. At the event, the speakers demanded strong action against the people involved in the making of blasphemous film, and creation and adoption of international UN treaty ensuring reverence for all religions and prophets. Speaking on the occasion, the director of the PHD Foundation, Suneel Malik said, “The right to freedom of expression neither permits people to injure the religious feelings of the believers of any group, nor allows them to commit sacrilegious act. This is not the first time, film is made against the prophet, and the movies like Da Vinci Code and Innocence of Muslims are the true examples of defamation of religions, which is objectionable.” “The UN has to play its role towards adoption of the convention outlawing defamation of religions and prophets once the consensus builds among its member states for the global peace and harmony, and promoting respect of all religions practiced by the millions of people,” he demanded. The executive secretary of the AWAM, Naseem Anthony said, “The international community must work together for peaceful co-existence among followers of all religions, and developing understanding about each other religious sensitivities to confront the challenges being faced by the world peace.” “The government of Pakistan must lodge strong protest with the U.S. higher authorities over the blasphemous film, and ask them to take action against the elements involved in the making and promoting the profane film,” he demanded. A religious leader, Allama Riaz Ahmed Sharifi said, “The desecration of the Prophet Muhammad cannot be tolerated at any cost by any Muslim, but the way Muslims have showed their love for the Prophet Muhammad, is unjustifiable. Therefore, the opinion-makers have a role to play in educating people that they have the right to protest peacefully, but to desecrate worship places, damage property and terrify people is completely wrong. The government and faith leaders should provide the lead in preventing violent attacks.” The president of the CARE Foundation, Yousaf adnan said, “Non-Muslims living in Pakistan are considered to be the agents of the U.S. and the Europe by the majority community, and held responsible for all anti-Islam acts in the world, resultantly their settlements are attacked and workshop places are desecrated in Pakistan to take revenge from the West for any kind of blasphemy, which is a wrong practice and must be stopped.” A political worker, Arif Ayaz said, “The Anti-Islam movie is a deliberate and premeditated attempt by the mischief-mongers based on hatred, to give pain to the Muslims and deepen the seeds of discord among different faiths. The respect for the last Prophet (PBUH) from followers of other religions is must, since reverence for prophets of all religions is the part of the core Muslim religious beliefs.” A youth leader, Nasir Aslam said, “The religious minorities have played their utmost role for the creation and development of Pakistan, but it is pity that their patriotism and loyalty towards Pakistan comes under questions whenever there is any profane act against the Islam in any part of the world.” A lawyer, Ejaz Ahmed said, “The Christians of Pakistan are peaceful, and are never involved in the insult to the Islam, but few extremist elements target them for their vested interests.” A youth leader, Khalid Hameed said, “The Muslims and non-Muslims residing in the country are all Pakistanis, but it is sad that some individuals are destroying the peace of the world. We must all be united to defeat the nefarious elements who want conflicts and division among the people, and should focus on commonalities that bind us in a large whole of compassionate humanity than accentuate divides that result in violence and hatred.” The other among the speakers included; Zia Ullah Rehmani (Tandlianwala City President-PML-N), Mazhar Iqbal Advocate (General Secretary-Tehsil Bar Council), Parveen Nazir (Women Leader), Farkhanda Nazir (Women Leader) and Iqbal Pirzaada (Journalist).