PAKISTAN: Pakistan's Islamist parties will hold nationwide demonstrations against The Da Vinci Code later this week, to protest at the film's "offensive" alternative take on the story of Christ, an opposition politician said yesterday.
The adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, the story of a Vatican cover- up involving Christ and his supposed offspring, has already grossed $224 million (€175m) globally.
"The film is offensive towards a holy figure dear to all religions," said Liaquat Balouch, deputy secretary- general of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, the main Islamist political alliance.
Muslims regard Christ as an important prophet, but not as great as Islam's Prophet Muhammad. Films or cartoons that hurt the sentiments of any religion in the name of culture should be rejected by the people, Mr Balouch said, adding that rallies against the film would be held after Friday prayers.
No Pakistani film exhibitor had planned to screen the movie, but sellers of pirated DVDs and VCDs were expecting to be able to offer it for sale by the end of the day.
"There is a huge demand for The Da Vinci Code," said Salman Shakir, a shopkeeper in Karachi. "We already have several orders lined up even though the initial prints are poor quality."
Christians, who make up less then 10 per cent of predominantly Muslim Pakistan, fear the film could spread misunderstanding about their faith. "We want people of other religions to also protest against the film," said Javed Williams of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference. "It has caused disappointment in the Pakistani Catholic community."