ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is committed to combating hate narratives and Islamophobia, the United Nations heard Thursday, following the prime minister’s plan to campaign for an international declaration against defamation of religion.
Maleeha Lodhi made the remarks at a UN forum in New York, telling delegates that diversity was seen as a threat and that Prime Minister Imran Khan had pledged to counter Islamophobia.
“Hate narratives are spreading in several parts of the world; Islamophobia is on the rise and diversity is being seen not as a source of enrichment but as a threat; and politics of fear seem to be replacing politics of hope,” Lodhi said, according to a government handout.
Khan had urged the promotion of tolerance at a conference earlier this week.
He said his government had helped persuade Dutch authorities to cancel a cartoon contest organized by far-right MP Geert Wilders.
The competition, which the Islamist political group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan claimed was blasphemous, triggered protests and demands for the country to sever ties with the Netherlands.
Lodhi, who is Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, called for greater respect for religious beliefs, symbols and revered personalities.
Pakistan believed that the values of peace, tolerance, egalitarianism and respect for humanity were shared by all religions, she said.
“This common heritage should enable the world to draw strength from its diversity rather than allowing it to be used as justification to accentuate differences.
“Together we need to encourage states to take steps to create an environment of religious tolerance, inclusiveness and respect. The complex task of peace-building can only be accomplished when we collectively build on a common vision of a peaceful world, and adopt an inclusive approach to promote better understanding,” Lodhi told the meeting.
UN hears of Pakistan pledge to combat defamation of religion
UN hears of Pakistan pledge to combat defamation of religion
- Respect each other’s beliefs and personalities, says top diplomat
- PM plans to counter Islamophobia and incitement to hatred
Pakistanis among six injured by debris in Abu Dhabi as UAE intercepts drones
- Iran launched drone attacks and missiles at Gulf nations, including UAE, since Saturday after it was attacked by US and Israel
- Minor injuries reported among six Pakistani, Nepalese nationals in two locations across Industrial City of Abu Dhabi Phase 2
ISLAMABAD: Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, among them Pakistani nationals, after the UAE’s air defense system intercepted drones, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement.
Iran has launched a barrage of missiles and drone attacks at the UAE and other Gulf countries to target facilities hosting US troops since Saturday. The attacks come in response to coordinated strikes by the US and Israel against Iran last week after months of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office, in a post on social media platform X, said authorities responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations across the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi Phase 2 (ICAD II) “following the successful interception of drones by air defense systems.”
“The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals,” the statement said.
The statement did not mention how many Pakistani nationals out of the six were injured in the attack.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office urged the public to seek information from only government sources and avoid spreading rumors or unverified information.
Pakistan has asked its citizens in Gulf states to exercise caution, avoid travel and strictly follow official adviseries ever since tensions escalated in the region on Saturday.
The UAE is home to over 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates, one of the largest communities of overseas Pakistanis worldwide.
Pakistan has condemned the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran but also criticized Tehran’s attacks that have targeted countries in the Gulf region, advising all parties to exercise restraint.
