UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan, representing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has urged the international community to take decisive action against the growing tide of Islamophobia and other forms of anti-Muslim hatred, bigotry, and intolerance. This call was made during a UN General Assembly event marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on Friday.
Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasized the need for a unified global effort to address this pressing issue. “Our goal must be to promote collective action against Islamophobia with unity and empathy,” he stated. “We must harness the positive messages of peace, justice, tolerance, and compassion that Islam, like all religions, offers to counter Islamophobia and all forms of hatred and intolerance.”
The 193-member assembly also heard messages of solidarity from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and General Assembly President Philemon Yang. In 2022, the General Assembly adopted a resolution, co-sponsored by Pakistan, designating March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Ambassador Akram highlighted the global nature of Islamophobia, stating, “It is not confined to one region; it is resurgent in both the West and the East. Islamophobia is increasingly exploited for political gain, fueling fear, prejudice, and hatred. In some nations, Muslims are being systematically marginalized and oppressed.”
He called on governments to ensure their policies and laws reflect a clear commitment to religious tolerance. “No country can claim to be a true democracy while systematically alienating and marginalizing its Muslim citizens,” he asserted. “In many places, prejudice against Muslims is being inflamed rather than addressed, resentments are being revived instead of reconciled, and discrimination is being legitimized through policies and rhetoric.”
Ambassador Akram pointed to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza as stark examples of Islamophobia, hatred, and racism. He also expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary-General for his intention to appoint Miguel Moratinos, a senior Spanish diplomat and head of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, as a special envoy on Islamophobia.
He commended several Western nations for their efforts to combat Islamophobia. For instance, Sweden and Denmark have enacted laws criminalizing the desecration of the Holy Quran and ensuring that freedom of expression is not misused to spread hate. Canada has appointed a special representative to address Islamophobia, while the United States has launched a national strategy to combat anti-Muslim hatred. Australia, too, has named a special envoy to promote interfaith dialogue. “We encourage other nations to follow these examples,” Akram said.
In his address, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the “disturbing rise” in anti-Muslim bigotry and called for collective action to counter xenophobia and discrimination. “This is part of a broader wave of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations,” he said during his Ramazan solidarity visit to Bangladesh.
Guterres stressed that an attack on one group threatens the rights and freedoms of all. He urged governments to promote social cohesion and protect religious freedom, while calling on online platforms to take stronger measures to curb hate speech and harassment.
The event underscored the urgent need for global solidarity and concrete actions to combat Islamophobia and foster a culture of tolerance and mutual respect.
