ISLAMABAD: United Nations, with Pakistan as a co-sponsor, adopted a resolution titled “promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and Tolerance in countering hate speech.”
The resolution urges the global community to counter all forms and dimensions of hate speech. It gained consensus approval at the UN headquarters in New York, with 44 nations in favor, 62 against, and 24 absent during the voting process.
A statement by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN read that the resolution. Expresses deep concern about the overall rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance, and violence, irrespective of the actors involved.
It specifically acknowledges cases motivated by Islamophobia in PP18, which was a proposal initially put forward by Pakistan and later joined by Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
The mission also highlighted Pakistan’s leading efforts, along with Malaysia and Egypt, on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries. They aimed to include language in the text that strongly deplores all acts of violence against persons. Based on their religion or belief, as well as any such acts directed against their religious symbols, holy books, places of worship, religious sites, and shrines in violation of international law. This resolution marked the first time the General Assembly. Strongly deplored all acts of violence against religious symbols and Holy books.
Bilal Chaudhry, the Pakistan Mission Counsellor, expressed profound satisfaction with the resolution’s adoption. He noted that the text adopted aligns with a recent resolution on religious hatred. Presented by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC group at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. That landmark resolution condemned all advocacy and manifestations of religious hatred. Including recent public and premeditated acts that desecrated the Quran. While urging countries to adopt laws to bring those responsible for such acts to justice.
Bilal Chaudhry emphasized that Islamophobia is on the rise
Chaudhry emphasized that Islamophobia is on the rise, with repeated incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran. He stated that such acts not only provoke the feelings of over two billion Muslims worldwide. But also undermine interfaith harmony and peace.
He stressed that these incidents also reflect racial hatred and xenophobia and the absence of preventive legal deterrence and inaction. Which encourages further incitement to hatred and violence.
Furthermore, the counselor clarified that the text adopted by the UN does not aim to curtail the right to free speech. But instead emphasizes the “special duties and responsibilities” of the international community in safeguarding interfaith peace and harmony.
