Netherlands Asks Pakistan To Halt Death Threats Against Anti-Islam Politician, Judge

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

NEW YORK/THE HAGUE (Worthy News) – The Netherlands has urged Pakistan to respect the conviction of a Pakistani former cricket player who was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for death threats against outspoken Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders.

Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte also spoke with his Pakistani counterpart about renewed death threats against Wilders and the judge who issued the prison sentence against the 37-year-old Khalid Latif.

Rutte confirmed that he met Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar early Friday on the sidelines of the United Nations summit in New York, Worthy News learned.

Latif was found guilty of “incitement to murder, threats and incitement” against Wilders. He declined to travel to the Netherlands to attend the trial and refused to send a lawyer.

Rutte, who boarded a plane to New York late Thursday after the annual budget debate in Parliament, said he urged “cooperation in follow-up steps.”

He made clear that the Netherlands took the initiative for the talks. Rutte declined to say what Pakistan’s response was.

The Netherlands and Pakistan do not have an extradition treaty. Sources following the talks said Rutte only spoke to media about unclear “follow-up steps” as Dutch public prosecutors are still investigating further actions.

WILDERS URGING RUTTE

Wilders had urged Rutte to ask Pakistan to help end the death threats against him and a judge and to cooperate with the court.

The leader of the right-wing nationalist Party for Freedom (PVV) party demands that Latif be extradited and that others behind the threats, whom he referred to as the “big fish,” will also be prosecuted.

Several imams have called for him to be murdered at large gatherings, Wilders explained in Parliament. Additionally, the unnamed judge who convicted Latif is also being threatened, with imams offering 100,000 euros ($106,000) to anyone who kills him,” the politician added. “It cannot be that if a parliamentarian and an independent judge are threatened, a country like Pakistan does not cooperate,” Wilders told Rutte and legislators.

The verdict against the Pakistani former cricket player was the first time a Dutch judge convicted someone abroad for threatening a Dutch politician.

In 2018, Latif offered a reward of 20,000 euros ($21,306) via social media for anyone who would kill Wilders. Latif cited as the reason a cartoon competition about the prophet Mohammed that the PVV leader announced at the time.

Pakistan is known for severe legislation that provides for lengthy prison terms and even execution of anyone convicted of blasphemy against Islam.

Numerous people, including Christians, have been jailed on often trumped-up charges of blasphemy, and dozens have been killed in recent years, often by furious mobs, human rights activists say.

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