PM seeks OIC strategy against Islamophobia

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged the OIC to chalk out a coordinated and comprehensive strategy, aimed at raising global awareness about its perspective and building legal and political deterrence against rising incidents of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia. The prime minister, in a telephone conversation with Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Ibrahim Taha, appreciated the OIC chief’s role in articulating Muslim Ummah’s concerns and demands about the Islamophobic trends and incidents, according to a PM Office statement. Referring to the recurring incidents of public burning of the Holy Quran, the prime minister conveyed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the willful and provocative acts, which had hurt the sentiments of Muslims worldwide. He stressed that vilification of religion, revered religious personalities, holy scriptures and symbols could not be condoned on the self-serving pretext of freedom of expression and protest. While welcoming the convening of an urgent debate at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on the issue, Prime Minister Shehbaz further underscored that the OIC must raise the issue with the UN Secretary-General and at other relevant forums and bodies within the UN system. The OIC secretary-general echoed Pakistan’s condemnation and concerns about the despicable incidents of the public desecration of the Holy Quran. He reaffirmed the OIC’s firm commitment to tackle the contemporary scourge of Islamophobia. The secretary-general lauded Pakistan’s leading role in OIC deliberations in general and on this issue in particular. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said the government was committed to empower youth of the country as empowering them was key to ensure development and prosperity of Pakistan. He said the youth of the country were capable enough to transform the country’s fate as with their hard work and dedication, they could help Pakistan develop at faster pace leaving its neighboring country far behind in term of economic development and prosperity. Addressing the launching ceremony of laptop programme here, the prime minister said this ceremony reminded him of the days when as Chief Minister Punjab he distributed hundreds of thousands laptops among the students on merit. He said those laptops helped the students a lot during Covid pandemic days when they took their classes online while sitting home and also earned their bread and butter by working as freelancer. He informed that he as CM Punjab also provided scholarships to the talented youth under Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF), and the beneficiary of these programmes was now serving the country in various areas including health, IT and Engineering. The prime minister maintained that this had been his mission to provide every youth with a laptop machine to enable them to successfully move forward in their respective areas. He informed that apart from the 100,000 laptops approved for the previous financial year, he also get another 100,000 laptops approved for the current fiscal year. He said the laptop distribution process would totally be on merit and no influence will be accepted in this regard. For the youth from rural areas, he said the government had allocated Rs 5 billion to provide agriculture loans, while another Rs 5 billion had been allocated for the provision of skilled-based training to the youth. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Muslim League (N) in its every tenure, had empowered the youth. She said since 2011, one million laptops had been distributed among talented students while over Rs 100 billion loans had also been provided to the youth to empower them. She said the prime minister would distribute 100,000 laptops among the students in the days to come. Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Interior Attaullah Tarrar, and Chairman of Higher Education Dr Mukhtar Ahmed were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday commended Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi for leading from the front to address the situation after the record monsoon rains in Lahore and other cities in the province. “It has been record monsoon rainfall that lashed Lahore and other cities of Punjab during the last few days. I would like to commend the Chief Minister Punjab, who led from the front in addressing the situation after the historic rains,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter. He also appreciated the Punjab chief secretary, Lahore commissioner, WASA managing director and other government officials for their dedication and commitment to public service during that challenging time.