GENEVA:Pakistan has strongly condemned abhorrent incidents of desecration of Holy Quran in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Raising the issue of recent desecration of holy Quran in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands in the 52th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Khalil Hashmi said “this year alone, we have witnessed five incidents of public desecration of holy Quran in Denmark, as latest manifestation of racial hatred and xenophobia.”
He said OIC group echoes the outrage of nearly two billion people whose faith is anchored in the message of the Quran. “Let there be no compulsion in religion is the Quran’s message over a millennia before religious freedom and freedom of expression enshrined in legal instruments,” the ambassador remarked.
Also read: Incidents of desecration of Holy Quran
“This act of discretion is not just provocation against the Muslims, it’s an act to sabotage the faith, harmony and peace too,” the ambassador contended. He said unequivocal condemnation should have been starting point of our response to these acts.
Ambassador Khalil Hashmi said some sadly choose to hide behind self serving interpretation of human rights. Hashmi said absence of preventive legal deterrence inaction and shying away from speaking out encourages further incitement to hatred and violence.
Also read: UN chief calls Holy Quran’s desecration ‘another symbol of hatred against many religions’
The ambassador said unsurprisingly more incidents have followed. The ambassador regretted that human rights machinery’s general apathy towards these incidents is nothing less than appalling. The ambassador noted with disappointment choice made by special rapporteurs on freedom of religion and belief and freedom of expression to not call out these deliberate acts of hate. He said we reject the selective academic interpretation of human rights law.
