“International Day to Combat Islamophobia”

LAHORE: “𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚”, United Nations adopted a landmark resolution introduced by Pakistan, on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), designating 15 March as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”.

The resolution was sponsored by 57 members of the OIC, and eight other countries, including China and Russia to designate the 15 March as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”.

India, France and the European Union expressed reservations, saying that while religious intolerance was prevalent all over the world, the resolution singled out only Islam and excluded others.

Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the issue of Islamophobia at the UN in his “historic” 2019 address to the General Assembly, and had repeatedly called for international attention and efforts to address it.

JKCHR under UN ECOSOC Resolution 1296/31 has persistently raised the subject of Islamophobia at the 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 47th and 48th Sessions of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva under the following titles:

1. “Burqa controversy and minorities”
2. “Racism –rise of the far right within Europe, the United States of America and Asia”
3. Danger of normalising racism, xenophobia, intolerance and all forms of bigotry”
4. “New developments reflect a gradual tearing into their roots and culture”
5. There is no pride, only shame when it comes to the treatment on the basis of faith”
6. “Gaza blockade by Israel must be lifted”
7. “Weaponise someone’s faith against them in order to discriminate is unacceptable”.