In terms of the freedom of speech, Khan is pushing against a crumbling wall. Voices such as that of Sir Malcolm Rifkind, quoted below, are increasingly drowned out by advocates of criminal restrictions on “hate speech,” a concept that is devoid of objective content and can be anything those in power want it to be. If the powers want to criminalize criticism of Islam, they will do so by labeling it as such, as Islamic supremacist groups in the West have been doing for years. This initiative is very close to coming to fruition, and then Khan can claim victory.
More on this story. “Pakistan PM Imran Khan urges the Muslim world to unite and use trade boycotts to force the West to pass blasphemy laws to protect the Prophet,” by Rachel Bunyan and James Tapsfield, MailOnline, April 27, 2021:
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has boasted that his plan for Muslim-majority countries to unite and force Western governments to criminalise insulting the Prophet Mohammed will work.
The 68-year-old leader said lobbying Western nations, the EU and UN to adopt blasphemy laws with a warning of a trade boycott if they do not do so will be ‘effective’ in achieving their goal.
He said leaders of Muslim-majority countries should call on the West to ‘stop hurting the feelings’ of Muslims across the world with their current freedom of speech laws, reports Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
Khan said insulting Islam’s Prophet should be treated in the same way as questioning the Holocaust, which is a crime in some European countries.
‘My way is to take heads of all Muslim countries into confidence,’ Khan said in an address on Monday.
‘Together we should ask Europe, the European Union and United Nations to stop hurting the feelings of 1.25 billion Muslims like they do not do in [the] case of Jews.’
‘I want the Muslim countries to devise a joint line of action over the blasphemy issue with a warning of trade boycott of countries where such incidents will happen,’ Khan continued. ‘This will be the most effective way to achieve the goal.’
Khan said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has already discussed the plan with four foreign ministers from Muslim-majority countries.
Britain’s former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind told MailOnline that trying to force Western countries to bring in such a ban would be ‘foolish’.
‘That is a pretty foolish decision. It is not countries that insult the Prophet Mohammed, it’s individual citizens. However distasteful that might be, as in Pakistan it is the law of the United Kingdom or any other country to determine whether they are allowed to do that or not,’ Sir Malcolm said.
He said it should be for the courts to decide whether insulting the Prophet breached the law.
‘We already have laws about hate crimes, which apply regardless of a particular religion. I do not think there should be a separate law for one religion.’
Sir Malcolm added: ‘The comparison with the Holocaust doesn’t really carry weight. If the Holocaust happened elsewhere, something similar, the reaction should be exactly the same as the reaction has been to the Holocaust during the Second World War.’…
Singh T. Junior says
We have a “nuclear” Khalifa. Everybody in the West, East, North, South, and Center pay 45 percent “Jaziya” tax to Imran Khan otherwise he will use his 72 “nukular” donkeys.
mortimer says
Pakistan’s UNJUST blasphemy law will never come to the West. Imran Khan is a self-deluded fool.
PM Khan is speaking to the choir in Pakistan’s echo chamber, because other politicians are even more radical than he is. However, Muslims are far from united on the matter of blasphemy laws.
Sorry, Imran, freedom of expression is here to stay, because world wars have been fought to secure this universal right.
One country cannot impose its own standards of speech control or censorship on others without starting a war.
BlackSabbath says
Trump will be back in few years and Imran Khan will end up in Guantanamo Bay guest house for a very long time. He probably will enjoy it since the putrid smell of un-showered jihadis perpetually surrounding him must be nauseating and he probably misses his days in England where there was fresh island breeze and he was married to a fine jewish lady named Jemima Goldsmith. Now he is married to Bushra Bibi who is expert in witchcraft. That is why he looks like a donkey’s turd.
william says
Khan got elected because he was a famous cricketer and Pakistanis like Indians go nuts about cricket. Even more than the British who invented it. Now he is trying to be famous as an outspoken defender of Islam. Khan spent most of his adult life hitting a small wooden ball with a wooden bat, obviously it has affected his brain. Sportsmen are not noted for their intelligence either.
gravenimage says
Mortimer wrote:
Pakistan’s UNJUST blasphemy law will never come to the West.
……………..
Unfortunately, Westerners have already been persecuted for speaking out against the ugliness of Islam in many places.
Many dhimmis are all to happy to enforce these strictures on us, smearing those who speak out as “Islamophobes” and firing them from government and academic positions.
Chris says
Sorry Mort, but i think we do not live in the same world. Freedom of speech is about to say its goodbye pretty soon. At least here in trudeau’s dictatorial land.
Simone says
+1 Mortimer
r says
Singh,
Enjoyed your post to the max. Simply hilarious.
Mortimer the great, as usual has posted a very relevant post.
Wellington says
Reverse it. Stick it to this bastard, i.e., boycott the Islamic world en masse. See how that works out for Muzzies since minus Western technology the Islamic world would have never even yet figured out how to create railroads, the telegraph, cars, radio, television, planes, computers, satellites—-AND how to extract oil from the ground and refine it.
Islam is all bluster and, even worse, full of shit. So, I would just relish a boycott of the Islamic world, including no more immigration of Mohammedans to any Western nation.
Call Islam’s bluff. It so deserves it.
Infidel says
Absolutely! Impose on Pakistan and Turkey for starters – and any other muslim countries that wish to join them, such as Malaysia – sanctions similar to the ones we had against Apartheid South Africa in the 80s. No Pakis nor Turks can come to our countries for any reason, be it tourism, jobs, sports, heathcare, et al, and revoke the visas of those already in our countries. None of our products go there, and none of their products come here. Make them depend directly and solely on China for everything that they need
Make it cultural as well: isolate those countries in sports, so that the only countries they can play w/ are fellow muslim countries. For cricket – the sport that made Imran Khan a legend – they’ll have just a handful of countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and some of the GCC countries to play w/. Except that even the GCC countries are souring on Pakistan due to the latter’s alliance w/ Turkey
Wellington says
Should be done, Infidel. Sadly, because wussies, the avaricious and ignoramuses now run the West, it won’t be done.
So many times in man’s history, man misses an opportunity. I predict it will miss this one—and again confirming that man so often functions as a collective idiot as well as a coward.
Singh T. Junior says
Wellington,
The problem is that moslem don’t make anything, not even a paper clip. I try to avoid some food products such as teas or spices that have arabic, persian, or urdu written on them. I will include Turkey in the mix.
Infidel says
Singh
I currently work at a clothes outlet. Most of the items are made in countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, while the 2 muslim countries prominently on the list are Indonesia and Bangladesh. So whenever I buy anything, I check the Made-in label, and avoid the last 2
Egor says
How much aid does the US give to Pakistan? If I am to believe Wikipedia the figures since 2009 are
Civilian assistance – five billion
Emergency humanitarian response. – 1 billion
During the 2019/2020 fiscal year, the US was the largest donor of aid to Pakistan.
All the West has to do is with hold aid to these people.
Infidel says
End it altogether! We are in debt of now probably over $30,000,000,000,000. We have no business giving other countries money we don’t have!
gravenimage says
President Trump talked about cutting aid to Pakistan due to their links to terrorism–this will not happen under Biden.
“Biden administration to revive military-to-military ties with Pakistan”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1602541
Infidel says
Awesome – so our military can resume being lied to by Pakistan’s top brass
gravenimage says
Hear, hear, Wellington, Infidel, and Singh!
I try to avoid products from Muslim countries whenever I can. This is not often all that difficult, since Dar-al-Islam is largely non-productive.
James Lincoln says
Seconded!
GreekEmpress says
Don’t forget products made by Procter and Gamble.
They have invested MILLIONS in Turkey.
gravenimage says
Good point, GreekEmpress.
This includes such well-known brands as Pampers, Downy, Gain, Tide, Dawn, Joy, Bounty, Charmin, Tampax, Gillette, Old Spice, Mr. Clean, Scope, and others:
https://us.pg.com/brands/
I had thought I was avoiding all of these brands, but just realized that I have Dawn dishwashing liquid in my kitchen. I can be tricky keeping track of all of this.
Raja says
Gravenimage,
I have been avoiding doing any business for about 30 years (since I came to know that Islam was evil) unless the terms are very attractive or unavoidable. Who knows if the proceeds of my business with a Muslim goes to a terrorist organisation or not?
To avoid their gasoline I didn’t buy a two wheeler until 2011 and car in 2010. The car is gone, bike remains.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Raja.
Raja says
Wellington,
Your advise is seriously wise. Wonder how many foolish elites will take your words seriously.
born saturday says
blashphemy, child marriage and censorship laws have already been voted for in european countries…. the islamolusting leaders in europe have made sure it has been… this willing stupidity makes one wonder if they are nothing but the modern traitors of everithing western and civilised there is in the world… their perversion exceeds the human limits…
gravenimage says
Pakistan’s Khan calls for Muslim countries to impose trade boycotts to force West to criminalize criticism of Islam
………………..
The civilzed West *should* tell this thug to take a hike–but in today’s insane climate, they may start imposing Shari’ah blasphemy laws on us, crushing our cherished freedom of speech. This is already starting to happen in many places.
One should be able to criticize any figure. Then, the idea that the vicious “Prophet” Muhammed–a warlord, pedophile, slaver, rapist, and mass murderer–should be beyond criticism is especially grotesque.
tim gallagher says
Khan is an absolute wanker. From my point of view, as a person brought up in a civilised, non-Muslim country, with decent western values (democracy, human rights even for women – unheard of in stinking Islam, etc) Islam is a disgusting, primitive, totally barbaric load of crap and it deserves to be criticised relentlessly. Islam, Nazism and Communism all should be criticised continuously. Islam, always a thuggish, bullying ideology, sets up its primitive, evil way of living life and then tries to say, hey, no one is allowed to criticise our wonderful islamic way of life. How convenient for the barbaric Muslims to outlaw criticism of their bullshit ideology. Islam needs to be criticised more and more, not less. Maybe, one day the whole load of crap might collapse if it is criticised and ridiculed enough.
gravenimage says
+1
tim gallagher says
Thanks for the +1, gravenimage. It’s a pleasant autumn morning here and I’m off to play my weekly round of golf. Maybe I should think of the golf ball as being islam and smash it ferociously. Only joking. I like to stay relaxed while playing golf.
gravenimage says
Sounds great, Tim. It’s a beautiful spring morning here–lovely view from my studio windows of the wisteria and the magnolia tree in full bloom.
Wellington says
+2
tim gallagher says
Thanks for the +2, Wellington. I know that you and I see things in a very similar way. We are people who value our western civilisation a great deal (as opposed to the many people who seem to apologise for it all the time) and we both do not have the time of day for Islam, Nazism and Communism, all revolting, evil ideologies that have been a major blight on the human race. gravenimage, that’s a very pleasant view you describe looking out your studio window. Wisteria and magnolia are very attractive looking plants. At my late parents’ house, where I grew up, we had a huge magnolia bush in the front yard. It was very impressive. I hope your visual art work is going well.
Boycott Turkey says
If this had been in reverse and western leaders called for Europeans to boycott Pakistani products for oppressing its oppression on Christians and Hindus there there would be a outcry of islamophobia the countries that deserve boycott is Pakistan Turkey
gravenimage says
Grimly true.
revereridesagain says
O dearie me, no more bumping into cheap Pakistani made goods while shopping in the job lot store, how will I bear the disappointment? (Where’s the “sarc” emoji on this thing?)
Infidel says
revereridesagain, use either of these emojis for sarc – ? or ?
James Lincoln says
revereridesagain,
I was in our local job lot the other day and, just for the heck of it, started looking at the countries of origin.
Not much made in the USA.
Mostly China China China…
Infidel says
James, what were you shopping for? If it was electronics items, I agree – China is like the Chinavirus, it’s everywhere. If it’s clothes, I see true diversity these days – countries like Vietnam, Honduras, Lesotho, Guatemala, and so on. Occasionally, I see some muslim countries – Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, and avoid them like the plague
The only Made in USA stuff I typically see is food
James Lincoln says
Correct, Infidel.
I was looking at cheap electronic stuff and “knickknacks”.
You’re right about clothing items…
mortimer says
In the matter of INSULTING other religions, Muslims live in a glass house, so they should not throw stones!
The Koran and Islam’s many other source texts are replete with INSULTS, SLANDERS and PUT-DOWNS to other religions and the people who adhere to them.
Islam is thus in NO POSITION to demand ‘respect’ when Islam doesn’t give respect to the ‘other’.
ISLAM SLANDERS THE KAFIR.
revereridesagain says
Since when has it been possible to “insult” Islam? The term “insult” means to unjustly or incorrectly characterize or criticize something or someone.
Every criticism of Islam based on its own teachings is rooted in fact and cannot, therefore, be an “insult”.
James Lincoln says
revereridesagain,
I agree, but there is also another way to look at it.
People can be insulted but an ideology (which is an inanimate object, etc.,) can’t be insulted….
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
Khan is delusional. You’d be hard pressed to find anything of value invented, manufactured, or assembled in any of these Islamic hellhole countries. As for oil, civilized countries are working frantically to
make it a stranded asset for investors. It will go the way of whale oil. These countries’ days are numbered and with it the means with which to finance the spread of Islam.
sidney penny says
““hate speech,” a concept that is devoid of objective content and can be anything those in power want it to be. ”
Every day Robert Spencer keeps hitting the nail on the head.
sidney penny says
Listen to the last ten minutes. Every American ( or for that matter, everyone) should listen to this.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/05/cal-poly-free-speech-under-attack-in-academia
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/05/video-robert-spencer-at-cal-poly-may-13-2014
Robert is super in his answer, especially to the woman who tells him what is “hate speech”
unbeliever1 says
How can a country be productive if it has to close everything down five times a day for its citizens can pray?
Andrew Blackadder says
Considering muslims seem to think they are real men, unlike what they think of Western men, then how come the wee feelings of these muslim men are so easily hurt, by WORDS, so perhaps they really are just a bunch of wee soy boys talking about being men when they are far from it.
I have noticed that when any muslim attacks a guy walking down the street the muslim is never alone, he can only attack a guy when he has about four of his mates with him, because none of them could fight their way out of a wet paper bag… all just cowards and soy boys that get their wee feeeeelings hurt when somebody calls their allah a wanker in drag…
Pakistan can take a hike, stop ALL money in Aid packages to these people, as it makes zero sense to send lots of money to a people that openly despise us, even the Mafia wouldnt not use such a tactic for protection money.
Pakistan is getting Millions of US$ to help with their Gender Studies Program… and we wonder why they laugh in our face…
somehistory says
Some years ago, I was shopping for some housewares and saw a bundle of wash cloths marked down; and since I can always use a few more of those to use around the house cleaning things, I picked up one of the bundles of about a dozen.
Examining them, I found they were so thin, and grey with what looked like body dirt, and the place of manufacture….pakistan. They looked as though they had been made with the old clothes of the male mozlums we frequently see in a riot of blasphemy charging double-uglies.
I am of the opinion that we are better off without their “products” that are more like filthy castoffs than newly made items.
I look for things made in the U.S., and if not here, then in some non-mozlum place.
Better to recycle our stuff than to buy pakistan’s recycled castoffs…or any other mozlum ruled nation’s “goods,”…that aren’t.
somehistory says
mozlums…the rulers and the unruly…are whiners, threateners, bullies and terrorists.
This con male wants us to be forced to give up freedom of speech…which our Creator gave us when He made man and woman way back.
satan tried to silence all who told the Truth…after calling God a liar, he had Cain kill Abel, and down through time, murdered True prophets……he had Jesus killed in order to stop the Truth from being spoken. Those who translated the Bible…burned at the stake, sentenced to prison, etc.
All things done to stop the Truth about him and the Truth about God and His Son from being heard.
satan is still busy with his never-ending attempts to silence people who don’t praise him and worship him. This threat by the con male is demonic.