ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan urged leaders of Muslim-majority countries on Wednesday to deal with the rising wave of Islamophobia by educating people around the world about Muslim religious sensitivities.
In a letter addressed to “leaders of Muslim states,” Khan said that anti-Muslim discriminatory attitudes were widespread in the Western world, especially European countries.
“I believe the leaders in these countries often act out of lack of understanding of the intrinsically deep passion, love and devotion Muslims all over the world have for their Prophet PBUH and their divine book, the Holy Quran,” he wrote.
“I urge all our Muslim leaders as a collectivity,” the prime minister continued, “to raise our voice and explain to the leadership of the non-Muslim, especially western, states the deep-seated reverence and love all Muslims feel for their divine book, the Holy Quran, and for our Prophet PBUH.”
“It is time to reach out to ‘the other’ and end cycles of violence bred of ignorance and hate,” he added.
Khan wrote the letter in the context of recent developments in France where the recent publication of caricatures disparaging the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led to violent Muslim reaction.
“Hurtful actions result in reactions from Muslims as they see their faith and their beloved Prophet targeted,” he said, adding that this led to “further discriminatory actions by governments against Muslim populations in their states.”
“The resulting marginalization,” Khan wrote, “leads to radicalization and this vicious cycle continues to create increasing space for extremists on all sides.”
He argued it was important to explain to the Western world that value systems differed for different social and religious and ethnic groups in the world.
“The time has come for the leaders of the Muslim world to take this message with clarity and unity to the rest of the world, especially the Western world, so an end is put to Islamophobia and attacks on Islam and our Prophet PBUH,” he added.
