Pakistan: \`Boycott French products\` drive gathers pace
Pakistanis on Monday joined the campaign to boycott French products in response to recent controversial comments made by President Emmanuel Macron on Islam_ and his decision to continue publishing blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. While the hashtag_ #boycottfrenchproducts_ was among the top trends on Twitter in Pakistan_ leaders and scholars urged the citizens to stop consuming French products. "After insults against the Holy Prophet by France and its president_ will we still continue buying and selling_ and import of French products? They will only learn a lesson when Muslims around the world will boycott their products..._" religious scholar Muhammad Taqi Usmani tweeted. Calls for a boycott of French products have been made in many Middle Eastern countries as well. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan_ who earlier said the French leader needs "mental treatment_" also urged Turkish citizens "to never buy French products." Pakistan's Prime Imran Khan_ and other opposition politicians have condemned the French president for "attacking Islam." The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the French ambassador to convey "deep concerns" over the recent "illegal and Islamophobic acts_" and condemned equating Islam with terrorism. Khan also wrote to Mark Zuckerberg_ CEO of Facebook_ asking him to put a ban on Islamophobic content. Earlier this month_ Macron described Islam as a religion "in crisis_" and announced plans for tougher laws to tackle what he called "Islamist separatism" in France.He also paid tribute to a French teacher murdered after he showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in class. -Anadolu Agency
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