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Relation between France and Pakistan has touched historic low: French President's top advisor

Just Earth News | @indiablooms | 09 Jan 2021

Relation between France and Pakistan has touched historic low: French President's top advisor

French President Emmanuel Macron's top advisor, Emmanuel Bonne, has said the relationship between France and Pakistan has touched  'historic low'.

"During this crisis, after the campaign against us, our relations with Pakistan probably are at a historic low. This is not exactly what we want, we assume it because our priorities and language are clear," he was quoted as saying by ANI.

France in December last arrested four people of Pakistani origin for their suspected  links to the attack in late September by a young Pakistani outside the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo weekly.

Once a poster boy of the all-embracing liberal West, who in elections defeated the far-right, French President Emmanuel Macron is now suddenly an enemy of the Islamic world with the Turkish president even calling him "mentally unwell".

Leaders of several Muslim countries have come down heavily on the French President for his efforts to keep his country free from Islamist terror as Macron faces one of the toughest challenges of his Presidency.

"Our challenge is to fight against those who go off the rails in the name of religion … while protecting those who believe in Islam and are full citizens of the republic," Macron said on October 2, hinting at a new law that will be presented in December.

"Islam is a religion which is experiencing a crisis today, all over the world," he had said in his speech while emphasing on the need to free Islam in France from foreign influences as he suggested a move to stop Imams from getting trained abroad and cracking down on religious funding.

He clearly spelt out, a reported in media, that "associations would have to sign a contract respecting 'the Republic's values' in order to obtain subsidies."

What went on deaf ears was his words on not targetting those who "believe in Islam and are full citizens of our Republic."

A fortnight later, a history teacher, 47-year-old Samuel Paty was beheaded in Paris for showing caricature of Prophet Mohammad during a discussion on free speech.

Macron was essentially targetting this fanaticism from Islamists, but became a target himself, thus exposing the double standards of the Muslim world.

On October 29, another Islamist terror struck France, claiming the lives of three people, incluidng the beheading of one.

The attacker, a knife-wielding man, was heard shouting 'Allahu-Akbar' multiple times while he was being nabbed by law enforcement officials.