Pakistan calls for international action to combat Islamophobia

Pakistan has called for action to combat the forces of Islamophobia and warned that if timely steps are not taken to check this disturbing trend, it could threaten regional and global peace and security.

Speaking at an event organized at the UN by Pakistan Mission and the OIC on "Countering Xenophobia through Interfaith Cooperation", Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said that Islamophobic acts are unfortunately happening in countries, which are the traditional champions of human rights and humanitarianism. She regretted that some unprincipled politicians in the West have sought to build their political fortunes by spreading fear and xenophobia - promising to build walls against migrants; bar- ring refugees, even widows and orphans; threatening to ban the adherents of a specific religion from entry to their countries' shores. Unfortunately, she said, this campaign of hate and prejudice has received a fillip from ignorant Western media portrayals of Muslims.

Initiating the discussion, as the organizer of the event, Ambassador Lodhi said that the purpose of the event- during a week at the UN, devoted to Interfaith Harmony - was to highlight the concern of Pakistan and OIC countries over certain recent developments which pose a danger to such harmony, to social cohesion and to the observance of human rights and humanitarian norms.

The instances of insults against Islam and Muslims are now legion, she said. Islam has been called unspeakable names; minarets have been portrayed as missiles. These have not been empty insults, Ambassador Lodhi said, adding, "Expressions of such hate and prejudice have provoked physical and psychological violence against Muslims and their businesses, mosques and community centers in some countries". "Almost all Muslim communities have been subjected to such intolerance. Many live in fear. Their alienation expands the divide between faiths and cultures within and among nations". In her address Ambassador Lodhi quoted President Obama who acknowledged during his visit to a mosque earlier this week, that "an attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths.