PM Khan denounces Canada attack as terror, calls for action against Islamophobia

Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated the need for global action to counter Islamophobia, after the killing of a family of Pakistani origin in Canada.

”Saddened to learn of the killing of a Muslim Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario,” the premier wrote in a tweet on Tuesday, adding that "This condemnable act of terrorism reveals the growing Islamophobia in western countries".

Canadian authorities issued a statement earlier today, stating that "there is evidence that this was a planned, premeditated act, motivated by hate. It is believed that these victims were targeted because they were Muslim".

The victims, while unnamed, include a 74-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl. A suspect was arrested on Sunday evening within four miles of the scene of the incident.

The family said in a statement that the public needs to stand against hate and Islamophobia.

"This young man who committed this act of terror was influenced by a group that he associated with, and the rest of the community must take a strong stand against this, from the highest levels in our government to every member of the community,” the statement said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stated that the incident was a "test case for the Canadian government and society", adding that the Canadian government must play its role in restoring the confidence and protection of Muslims residing in their country.

He said the Pakistan Consulate General in Toronto had made contact with relatives of the victims and were being offered facilitation in the transportation of bodies.

Qureshi appealed to Pakistanis living in Canada to show solidarity with the victims.

In 2017 a French Canadian man known for far-right, nationalist views went on a shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque that killed six people, being one of the worst incidences of religious violence in the country's recent history.