Pakistan welcomes adoption of UNGA resolution on Islamophobia

Pakistan Saturday welcomed the adoption of the resolution titled “Measures to Combat Islamophobia,” by the UN General Assembly with an overwhelming majority.

The UN General Assembly adopted Pakistan’s resolution, by a big majority, that calls for, among other elements, concerted action to fight ongoing violence against Muslims and requests the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special envoy to combat Islamophobia.

Prior to adopting the new resolution, entitled: ‘Measures to Combat Islamophobia’, by a vote of 113 in favour to none against, with 44 abstentions, the 193-member Assembly rejected two amendments proposed by a group of European nations. India, along with most of European states, abstained on the resolution.

The proposals would have replaced key language in the resolution, including calling for a focal point instead of a UN special envoy and removing references to the desecration of the Holy Quran.

The UN created the International Day through a resolution adopted following attacks on two mosques Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 51 people dead on this day in 2019.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the resolution was presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as a follow-up of the General Assembly Resolution 76/254, which designated 15th of March as the International Day to combat Islamophobia.

Pakistan welcomed the General Assembly’s call for the appointment of a “United Nations Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia”. This historic appointment will be the first of its kind, exclusively dedicated to combating the scourge of Islamophobia.

The adoption of the resolution comes at a critical time, amidst rising Islamophobia, as manifested by an increasing number of incidents of discrimination, violence, and incitement against Muslims around the world.