Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad says Pakistan will continue its endeavors by calling for reposing trust in dialogue, interfaith harmony and education for combating Islamophobia.
In his message on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, he said Pakistan also calls for rejecting the divisive and disruptive tendencies of discrimination, exclusivity, racism and intolerance.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said this day accords us an opportunity to express solidarity with the victims of Islamophobia, underscores the threat it poses to lives, dignity and heritage of Muslims and renews our resolve to fight Islamophobia in all its variants.
The Ambassador said manifestations of Islamophobia vary from violent attacks on Muslims, demolition of mosques and desecration of the Holy Quran, to disparaging Muslims’ cultural and religious symbols like hijab.
He said Pakistan is now coordinating with like-minded countries and the United Nations to devise a structured pathway to identify, monitor and combat Islamophobic trends, discourses and incidents.
He said that in line with the longstanding principles of its foreign policy and aspirations of its people, Pakistan has won accolades for its steadfast advocacy of combating Islamophobia. Pakistan shepherded two historic United Nations General Assembly’s resolutions on Islamophobia and is now coordinating with like-minded countries and the United Nations to devise a structured pathway to identify, monitor and combat Islamophobic trends, discourses and incidents.
He said that at some places, the state patronage to Islamophobes have resulted in disenfranchisement and economic marginalization of Muslims creating a threat of their complete ghettoization.
He said that four years ago, the United Nations General Assembly passed landmark resolution 76/254 in 2022 to designate 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. This day accords us an opportunity to express solidarity with the victims of Islamophobia, underscore the threat it poses to lives, dignity and heritage of Muslims and, international peace and security, and renew our resolve to fight Islamophobia in all its variants.