Pakistan on Friday summoned the acting American envoy tolodge a "strong protest" against an anti-Islam film and demanded thatthe US government take immediate steps to remove the "blasphemous"video from YouTube.
"The US Charge D'Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoaglandwas summoned today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest waslodged with him over the blasphemous video posted on YouTube attacking thepersonage of the Holy Prophet Mohammed," said a statement issued by theForeign Ministry.
Hoagland was told that the "US Government shouldimmediately take measures to remove the sacrilegious video from YouTube andtake action against its author".
The Foreign Office further told Hoagland that the film -Innocence Of Muslims - amounted to "an attack on 1.5 billion Muslims and apremeditated and a malicious act to spread hatred and violence among people ofdifferent faiths".
"He was reminded that all faiths need to promoteinter-religious harmony and tolerance. The intentional spread of hatred amongfaiths is an attack on humanity itself," the statement said.
Hoagland further said that the vast majority of Americanpeople have also condemned it.
The Foreign Office summoned the acting US envoy hours afterviolent protests erupted in cities across Pakistan for the second consecutiveday.
Protestors burnt two cinema halls and a chamber of commercein Peshawar, where an employee of a TV news channel died after being hit by abullet in police firing.
Yesterday, some 5,000 protestors, including members ofhardline groups like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Sipah-e-Sahaba, fought runningbattles with riot police as they tried to storm the diplomatic enclave inIslamabad.
Members of some groups called for the US Embassy inside theenclave to be set on fire.
A US Embassy advertisement featuring President Barack Obamaand Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaking about America's commitment torespect all religions began airing on Pakistani TV channels yesterday.
