ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and his counterparts of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) states on Thursday urged the UN to formulate an action plan “to halt and reverse” Islamophobia in the world.
FM Bhutto-Zardari warned last week that Islamophobia has reached alarming levels worldwide. He said the trend was gathering strong resonance in political spheres in Europe and leading to discriminatory travel bans and visa restrictions.
The UN General Assembly last year adopted a landmark resolution, introduced by Pakistan on behalf of OIC countries, designating March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Bhutto-Zardari chaired a meeting of the Annual Coordination Meeting (ACM) of OIC foreign ministers at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday.
“The Meeting welcomed the adoption of the landmark UN General Assembly resolution proclaiming 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
“And agreed to urge, as a follow-up of the resolution, the UN Secretary-General to formulate an action plan, in coordination with the OIC countries, to halt and reverse Islamophobia,” it added.
The OIC members praised Pakistan for its “active and forceful advocacy” of all matters in the Islamic Ummah’s interest, the foreign ministry said.
Participants of the meeting also expressed sympathy with Pakistan for the losses it has suffered from the climate-induced devastating floods.
