Pakistan summons Norway’s ambassador over burning of Quran

The move comes after a video surfaced on social media showing a Norwegian man burning the Quran at an anti-Islam rally last week

Pakistani protesters holding copies of the Quran in Lahore, Pakistan, on Saturday. AP

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says it has summoned Norway's ambassador to convey the deep concern of the government and Pakistani people over the recent burning of the Quran by a Norwegian man that was caught on video.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said: “Such actions hurt the sentiments of 1.3 billion Muslims around the world.”

“Pakistan’s condemnation of this action was reiterated. Furthermore, such actions could not be justified in the name of freedom of expression," the ministry said.

The statement demanded action against the person in the city of Kristiansand who desecrated the Quran at an anti-Islam rally last week.

Pakistan’s reaction comes after video surfaced on social media showing a non-Muslim man burning the book.

In the video, a Muslim youth is seen jumping over a fence and kicking the person burning the Quran.

The man is a member of the extremist right-wing group Stop the Islamisation of Norway, or Sion.

The incident drew nationwide condemnation, with many Pakistanis praising the youth as a hero for defending the Quran.

One user called him the "protector of the Holy Book" while another called him "the most loving person" on the internet.

The Pakistan Union Norway, an organisation for the Pakistani community in Norway, condemned the man for desecrating the holy book. They criticised police for not stopping the act in time and for only stepping in when the man jumped in to stop the desecration.

There are about 160,000 Muslims in Norway, representing about 3.15 per cent of the population.