ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations will deliver a statement today, Friday, as the UN General Assembly holds the 62nd plenary on the occasion of the International Day To Combat Islamophobia.
The observance takes place on March 15 every year in 140 countries worldwide. The date, March 15, was chosen as it is the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings, in which 51 people were killed during Friday prayers in New Zealand.
The resolution to hold a day against Islamophobia was introduced at the UN by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and was unanimously adopted by the 193-member world body on Mar. 15, 2022. It was co-sponsored by 55 predominantly Muslim countries.
“Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram will deliver a statement on the occasion,” state-run APP said ahead of Friday’s UN gathering.
Separately, the Pakistan Ulema Council is holding a nationwide campaign today, Friday, to raise awareness and foster solidarity against discrimination targeting Muslims, the body said in a statement.
“Pakistan Ulema Council is set to lead the charge in commemorating the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on Friday with a nationwide campaign in a bid to raise awareness and foster solidarity against discrimination targeting Muslims,” the body said in a statement.
“The day holds significant importance, particularly for the PUC, which has long been at the forefront of advocating for religious tolerance and understanding.”
Speaking to media, PUC Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi called upon religious scholars and leaders from all schools of thought to utilize their Friday sermons to highlight the significance of the day and emphasize the importance of religious diversity.
“The council’s initiative comes at a pivotal moment, aiming to dispel misconceptions, foster dialogue, and promote mutual understanding among different faith communities … the council’s commitment to combating discrimination aligns with the fundamental principles of human rights and religious freedom enshrined in international law,” Ashrafi was quoted in the statement as saying.
The chairman underscored the alarming rise of Islamophobia as a global threat to Muslims and said it was the collective responsibility of the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international entities to spearhead initiatives aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination.
Pakistan’s permanent representative to address UNGA on international day against Islamophobia today
https://arab.news/v8bt9
Pakistan’s permanent representative to address UNGA on international day against Islamophobia today
- International Day To Combat Islamophobia takes place on March 15 every year in 140 countries worldwide
- March 15 was chosen as it is anniversary of Christchurch mosque shootings in which 51 people were killed
Pakistan’s Mahnoor Omer named among TIME’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026
- Omer moved a Pakistani court against the so-called ‘period tax’ in Sept. 2025 which has since sparked a national debate
- Taxes on sanitary pads in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to retail price, UNICEF says only around 12 percent women use such products
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer, who fought against taxes on menstrual products, has been named among the TIME magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026.
Omer’s efforts have been recognized alongside 16 activists, artists, athletes and businesswomen in the TIME’s Women of the Year 2026 list, including Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Chloe Zhao.
Dissatisfied with the efforts to educate Pakistani girls about sexual violence, Omer founded the Noor Foundation at the age of 14 and held her own workshops with village girls about everything from climate change to menstruation, according to the TIME magazine.
Two years later, a conversation with a domestic worker about the price of pads made her realize that not everyone could afford these essentials. She moved a court against the so-called “period tax” in Sept. 2025 and the case has sparked a national debate on the subject, considered a taboo by many in Pakistan, since its first hearing late last year.
“A decade and one law degree after her interest in activism was sparked, Omer, now 25, is putting her passion and expertise to work in the name of gender equity,” TIME wrote about Omer on its website.
Taxes imposed on sanitary products in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to the retail price. UNICEF estimates just 12 percent of women in the country use commercially produced pads or tampons. The alternative, using cloth, risks health impacts including rashes and infections, and can make it impossible for girls to attend school while menstruating.
Omer’s suit, which awaits the government response, has sparked a national discussion. She says she spoke about menstruation to her father and male cousins, who thanked her for standing up for their daughters.
The 25-year-old, who is currently enrolled in a master’s degree in gender, peace, and security at the London School of Economics, sees this case as just the first of many.
“I’m not free until every woman is free,” she was quoted as saying by TIME. “I want to leave no stones unturned in terms of what I can do with the next few decades, as a lawyer for the women in my country and gender minorities in general.”
