French envoy in Islamabad faces calls of expulsion amid deteriorating diplomatic ties with Pakistan

The French Ambassador in Islamabad, Marc Barety, is facing calls of expulsion following a demand by an Islamist political party to expel the French envoy.

Islamabad (Pakistan): Amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between France and Pakistan, Marc Barety, the French Ambassador in Islamabad is facing security threats following a demand by a radical Islamist political party to expel the French envoy.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan has reportedly refused to retreat on the ultimatum it issued to the Imran Khan government, stating that France had "insulted" the Prophet.

Alleging blasphemy, the Islamist political party has called for severing diplomatic ties with France and boycotting French products.

Instead of quelling the radical political party, Pakistan President Arif Alvi, while addressing an international audience, last month urged the political leadership of France "not to entrench the discriminatory attitudes against Muslims into laws" and cautioned that doing so would lead to repercussions.

"You [France] need to bring people together and not to stamp a religion in a certain manner to create disharmony and bias," said Alvi while referring to the recent anti-separatism bill that was passed in the French National Assembly.

Aside from Alvi, Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had made a personal attack on French President Emmanuel Macron on Twitter.

The Pakistan President's comments witnessed a strong reaction from the French foreign office, which summoned the Pakistan Charge d'Affaires at their embassy in Paris.

ANI