‘92% of Pakistanis oppose violent cartoon protests’

Daily Times, April 1, 2006
‘92% of Pakistanis oppose violent cartoon protests’

LAHORE: At least 92 percent of Pakistanis support peaceful demonstrations to protest the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and oppose violent demonstrations.

A poll was recently conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar to gauge public opinion about the publication of the cartoons and the subsequent rioting that killed around 10 people. The cartoons were first published in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and later in publications across Europe.

Around 97 percent of those interviewed felt that the publication of the cartoons was a violation of freedom of expression. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed opposed attacking embassies of European countries in reaction to the publication of cartoons in newspapers there. Almost everyone also opposed the publication of the holy personages of other religions in retribution to the Prophet’s (PBUH) cartoons. However, 62.26 percent favoured the economic boycott of countries where the cartoons had been published, while round 52 percent called for suspending all diplomatic ties with such countries. staff report