Pakistan MP to make movie to counter anti-Quran Dutch film
Islamabad, April 20, 2008A Pakistani parliamentarian from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party on Sunday announced to make a film to challenge Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders' anti-Quran movie "Fitna" that has been condemned across the world.
Babar Awan, a member of the Senate, upper house of parliament, told a news conference that the "international film on the Quran" will be made with the cooperation of Pakistani channel ATV and released initially in three languages 'English, Arabic and Urdu'.
"As a Muslim parliamentarian, I have accepted this big challenge to reply to the film of Geert Wilders and this announcement will please all peace lovers and supporters of inter-faith harmony and respect," Awan said.
Awan, who has also served a lawyer for the slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, said the film's script, based on research from the Quran, is ready.
"After a group of scholars prepared the script, it was vetted by another group of professional scriptwriters".
A team of professionals with experience in making documentaries of international standard is ready to start shooting the film, he said.
The title of the film, to be completed within 100 days and released in cinema halls across the world on the 1st of the month of Ramazan, when it will begin in Saudi Arabia.
Awan said Wilders' "highly objectionable" film had created "unfortunate and uncalled-for unrest and turbulence" at the global level. Even the name of the movie "Fitna" was highly proactive, he said.
"This attempt at disturbing the world peace and inter-faith harmony was condemned the world over not only by Muslim communities but also by other responsible nations.
The extent of this friction could be well understood by the appropriate reaction of the United Nations to this movie," he said.
Gilders' film is "highly misleading, non-representative and very shallow" and there is a need for "a proper reply to expose to the whole world the true message of the Quran, which is the book of God", he said.
The new film, he pointed out, will be an objective response to "Fitna". Awan also noted that no holy book, including the Quran, Torah or Bible, teaches extremism "because all the messengers of God brought messages of mercy, peace and harmony for mankind".
Peace for mankind can only be achieved and maintained through a "continuous process of understanding and reconciliation", he said.
Wilders' film, which sparked protests by religious groups in Pakistan, has already been denounced by the country's government and the parliament. The Pakistan government had summoned Dutch envoy over the film and Dutch has relocated its embassy to a hotel over security fears.
Pakistan MP to make movie to counter anti-Quran Dutch film - Irna
