UNITED NATIONS: On Wednesday, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador, Munir Akram, met with the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion, Ahmed Shaheed, and discussed issues related to hate speech, religious intolerance and Islamophobia. Welcoming his report on Islamophobia to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council earlier this year, the Pakistani envoy said in a tweet he (Ahmed Shaheed) underlined that institutional suspicion and fear of Islam and Muslims has escalated to epidemic proportions since the 9/11 terror attacks. “We both agree to work together in keeping this issue high at the agenda of the United Nations,” Ambassador Akram said, calling the discussion with Shaheed “fruitful.”