FM apprises UNGA President on derogatory remarks by BJP officials in India

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has apprised the President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, of the derogatory and offensive remarks made by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), ARY News reported on Friday.

Noting that such wilful and deliberate provocation had deeply hurt the sentiments of billions of Muslims around the world, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in a telephone call, urged the UNGA President Abdulla Shahid to take cognizance of this abhorrent development amidst growing hate speech and rising Islamophobia in India.

Referring to the muted response of the Indian leadership to the incident, the foreign minister noted that silence could be taken as complicity, and could lead to further incitement to violence, communal discord and hate incidents, according to the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson.

READ: ‘INDIA SHOULD HOLD BJP LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE OVER DEROGATORY REMARKS’

Noting the UN’s positions on hate speech and Islamophobia, FM Bilawal expected that the forum of the United Nations would be utilised for constructive debate among member states, also with a view to redressing this issue that has caused such pain and resentment among the Muslims.

The Abdulla Shahid underscored the important role of the UNGA and the need for the membership to work together on these issues. The foreign minister and the UNGA president agreed to remain engaged.

‘INDIA SHOULD HOLD BJP LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE’

Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) has strongly condemned the derogatory remarks made by two officials of India’s ruling party BJP against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), demanding the Indian government hold them accountable, ARY News reported on Friday.

READ: DEROGATORY REMARKS: INDIA’S MAMATA BANERJEE DEMANDS ARREST OF BJP LEADERS

Addressing a weekly press conference today, FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed pointed out that India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was involved in atrocities against minorities, especially Muslims.

He noted that Pakistan had summoned Indian Charge d’ Affaires and conveyed its strong protest and condemnation of the highly derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The FO spokesperson further said that the Foreign Secretary had briefed OIC and P-5 envoys about the Indian atrocities on minorities. “Indian state machinery was being used against Muslims in the country,” he added.

Asim Iftikhar stressed that the BJP top leadership should unequivocally condemn the sacrilegious comments of the officials and ensure that they are held accountable.