92% Pakistanis oppose toon protests: Survey

Violent attacks on foreign missions have taken place in the wake of the publication of Prophet's caricatures in western newspapers.

At least 92 per cent of Pakistanis oppose the violent demonstrations and attacks on foreign missions that have taken place in the wake of the publication of Prophet Mohammad's caricatures in western newspapers.

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But nearly 63 per cent of those surveyed endorsed an economic boycott of the countries where the cartoons were published and 52 per cent called for suspending all diplomatic ties with these countries, Pakistan Today reported.

The findings came from a poll conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) to gauge public opinion here, in Lahore and Peshawar about the cartoons and the subsequent rioting in Pakistan that killed around 10 people.

The cartoons were first published in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and later in publications across Europe, triggering widespread protests in the Muslim world.

Around 97 per cent of those interviewed felt that the publication of the cartoons was a violation of the freedom of expression.

However, 95 per cent of those surveyed opposed attacking embassies of European countries in reaction to the publication of cartoons in newspapers there.

Almost everyone also opposed the publication of the holy personages of other religions in retribution to the Prophet's cartoons.