UNITED NATIONS: An Ambassadorial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States, convened by Pakistan, Wednesday condemned the recent abhorrent act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden as well as in the Netherlands.
In a statement, the meeting said those vile acts were recent manifestations of Islamophobia.
The meeting, which was presided over by Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram, also decided to organize a special meeting at the UN in New York to commemorate the Day to Combat Islamophobia in accordance with the landmark resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last year.
“Through this event, the OIC countries would call for international solidarity and cooperation in combating and dismantling anti-Muslim rhetoric and practices including racial profiling, discrimination, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of Muslims” the Pakistani envoy said. As a follow-up of the resolution, he added, “the OIC will urge the UN Secretary-General to formulate an action plan, in coordination with the OIC countries, to halt and reverse Islamophobia” .
The Pakistani envoy also informed the OIC meeting that On international Women’s Day (8 March), Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will host and chair a High-Level Conference in New York on Women in Islam.
The OIC Member States greatly appreciated and reiterated their strong support to Pakistan towards the initiatives during this meeting, it was pointed out.
Among other agenda items, Wednesday’s meeting of the OIC endorsed Tajikistan’s candidature for election to the UN Security Council for the term 2028-2029.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, briefed the OIC meeting on the recent disturbing developments in Palestine, Jerusalem including the violations of the sanctity of the Al Aqsa Mosque.