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| India-Pakistan | |
| Bilawal condemns Quran desecration as Muslim states demand action at UN | |
| 2023-07-12 | |
Last month, a person — who migrated from Iraq to Sweden — burned pages of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid ul Adha, prompting outrage in the Muslim world and condemnation from Pope Francis. In its response, Pakistan brought a motion seeking a report from the UN rights chief on the topic and calls on states to review their laws and plug gaps that may "impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred". The debate highlighted rifts in the UN Human Rights Council between the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a Muslim grouping, and Western members concerned about the motion's implications for free speech and challenges posed to long-held practices in rights protection. Virtually addressing a session of an urgent debate held by the Human Rights Council on acts of religious hatred, Bilawal called upon the world to stand united against hatred, discrimination, and intolerance, and promote mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance. “We must see this incitement to hatred, discrimination and attempts to provoke violence. We must join hands in condemning it, we must isolate those who stroke hatred,” he said, adding that these acts were designed to maximise propagating hate. FM Bilawal said three months ago the first international day to combat Islamophobia was observed where the first-ever session was held to mark the occasion at the UN General Assembly. The minister remarked the Holy Quran was a spiritual anchor for two billion Muslims. “It is important to understand the deep hurt that the public and premeditated act of Quran’s desecration causes to Muslims." Terming the desecration of the Holy Quran as an attack on the Muslim faith, Bilawal said the call in the draft text presented before this council for prevention and accountability was reasonable and necessary. | |
| Posted by:Fred |