Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Friday urged the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) to intensify its initiatives to halt and reverse the tide of Islamophobia, bigotry, and discrimination grounded in religion and belief.
Talking to the High Representative for the UNAOC Miguel Moratinos who called on him on the margins of the 78th UNGA Session in New York, the foreign minister underscored that religious intolerance and Islamophobia were escalating globally, but the most vehement expression was evident in India.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed in detail the UNAOC’s mandate, work and potential areas of collaboration, in particular combating Islamophobia and intolerance that “stems from religious beliefs and interfaith dialogue to foster harmony among cultures and societies”.
The foreign minister also expressed his appreciation for the valuable work undertaken by the Alliance and the High Representative. In this context, he underscored the importance of unbiased and comprehensive reporting.
While encouraging interfaith and intercultural dialogue and exchange of ideas at the local, national and international levels, the High Representative reiterated the UNAOC’s readiness to promote continued dialogue and foster mutual respect and understanding, including on ways to combat Islamophobia.
Duding meeting with Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Hanke Bruins Slot on the sidelines of the UNGA, Jalil Abbas Jilani urged upon him to take effective measures to prevent Islamophobic acts in future.
Expressing concerns at the recent rise in Islamophobic incidents in some European countries, the Foreign Minister laid emphasis that such abhorrent actions are oblivious to religious sentiments of over 1.5 billion Muslims and cannot be justified under garb of freedom of speech.
Both leaders resolved to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, dairy, water management and IT sectors.
The two sides agreed to further strengthen the relations in all areas of mutual interest at bilateral and multilateral levels.
Meanwhile, during a meeting between Abbas Jilani and his Norwegian counterpart Anniken Huitfeldt Pakistan and Norway agreed to work towards enhancement of bilateral cooperation.
