Combating Islamophobia: PM urges OIC's collective efforts to project true image of Islam
- By Abdul Qadir -
- May 03, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has underscored the imperative of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) collective efforts to project the true image of Islam, and its message of peace and tolerance, ARY News reported on Monday.
PM Imran Khan has met the Islamabad-based Ambassadors of countries belonging to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) today.
Recalling the two letters addressed by him to the leaders of the Islamic world last year, the premier briefed the envoys on Pakistan’s efforts at the international level to create awareness about Islamophobia and the need to collectively address the phenomenon.
Read: PM Imran Khan shares 2020 letter to Muslim leaders on Islamophobia
He stressed that Pakistan’s initiatives were aimed at building mutual understanding and promoting inter-faith harmony.
Noting that Islamophobic acts fan inter-religious hatred and disharmony among civilizations, PM Khan called for addressing the underlying reasons for the rise in such incidents worldwide.
Falsely equating Islam with radicalism and terrorism, he added, was leading to the marginalization and stigmatization of Muslims.
PM Khan emphasised that the vilification of Islamic precepts and religious personalities, wrongly justified under the garb of the right to freedom of expression or opinion, hurts the sentiments of 1.5 billion Muslims around the world.
Read: Pakistan joins OIC in observing first-ever ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’
Imran Khan urged the OIC to work together for making the international community understand the deep-rooted love and reverence of all Muslims for the Holy Prophet PBUH and the Holy Quran.
He also underlined the need for instituting legal safeguards aimed at protecting the sensitivities of all religious groups.
PM Imran Khan reaffirmed that Pakistan remained committed to dialogue and cooperation with all members of the international community for promoting universal values of tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence among all nations and peoples.