ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has reiterated its call for strengthening legal andjudicial framework for addressing the rising phenomenon of Islamophobia andhate crimes against Muslims globally.
Addressing the 5th International Seminar of the OIC Independent HumanRights Commission on Islamophobia at Istanbul, Pakistan’s Ambassador inTurkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi said the negative phenomenon underminesbasic human rights of millions of Muslims across the globe.
He underscored that freedom of expression should not be used as a pretextto disguise racism, incitement to hatred, institutionalized discriminationas well as a vested campaigns to ridicule religions, religious symbols andpersonalities.
Drawing attention to Islamophobia in India, Ambassador Qazi said that thereport of the OIC Observatory against Islamophobia has pointed out thatMuslims in India are facing systematic discrimination, persecution andvigilante attacks by extremist organizations, under the patronage of theruling party.
He added that the findings of the Office of the UN High Commissioner forHuman Rights also expressed concern at the wave of Hindutva, and use offorce by Indian Occupation forces to malign the just struggle of Kashmirisfor their right to self-determination.
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Ambassador Qazi said that as a member of the OIC, Pakistan continues toplay its due role by taking necessary initiatives against Islamophobia atthe international level.
He informed that Pakistan’s persistent and proactive diplomatic outreach tothe Dutch government as well as the international community recently helpedin the cancellation of the blasphemous caricature competition, which wasbeing organized by a Dutch parliamentarian.
At the conclusion of the Seminar, a declaration was issued that expressedconcern at situations of foreign occupation in Palestine and Jammu &Kashmir as well as incidents of Islamophobia globally.
