President Alvi urges joint efforts by Islamic world to counter Islamophobia
Zubair Qureshi
President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the Islamic countries to work together for countering Islamophobia and changing the perceptions of the world about Islam and the Muslims.
The president expressed these views while receiving the visiting Arab Parliament’s president Adel bin Abdul Rahman Al-Asoomi and his delegation at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
He said the Islamic world was facing the challenges of terrorism and Islamophobia, which could be overcome through close coordinated efforts.
Pakistan, he said, attached great importance to its ties with the Middle Eastern countries and wanted to further strengthen relations with them in all areas of mutual interest.
He mentioned that Pakistan’s policy had shifted from geo-politics to geo-economics that focused on regional connectivity, development partnerships, socio-economic uplift and regional peace.
The president highlighted that Pakistan was making efforts to promote peace in the region, particularly in Afghanistan.
The president apprised Adel bin Abdul Rahman Al-Asoomi about the apartheid policies of the Modi-led Bharatia Janta Party government in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), saying that India was involved in the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiris by altering the demography of Kashmir through the Citizenship Act.
Dr Alvi reiterated Pakistan’s support to the just cause of the Palestinians and called for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous state of Palestine on the basis of internationally accepted parameters, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
President of the Arab Parliament termed Pakistan an important country for the Arab world, which had played a historical role in supporting the cause of Islamic Ummah.
He also emphasized the need for exchanging delegations to further cement ties between Pakistan and the Arab world. He mentioned that the Arab Parliament supported Pakistan’s stance on IIOJK.
Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani was also present during the meeting.
Later, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani hosted reception for the visiting delegation of the Arab Parliament and in his welcome speech underlined the need for enhanced parliamentary relations with the Muslim countries, especially the Arab countries.
Chairman Senate said that the Arab Parliament being a common platform of the Arab countries was significant for Pakistan.
The overall role of the Arab Parliament is highly praiseworthy, and that Pakistan is willing to join Arab Parliament as an observer, he added.
