ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday said Islamophobia aggravates existing tensions and conflicts, posing a serious threat to international peace and security.
He made the remarks in a statement issued on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, which is observed on March 15.
Dar noted that the recent surge in Islamophobia has led to disturbing incidents in different parts of the world, including the desecration of the Holy Quran, attacks on women wearing the hijab, vandalism of mosques, religious profiling, and the open expression of anti-Muslim hatred in public discourse and media.
Pakistan stands in solidarity with Muslims around the world and remains committed to combating prejudice, discrimination, hostility and violence directed against Muslim communities, he reaffirmed, according to a statement issued here.
Dar said that Pakistan working closely with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), played a key role in the United Nations General Assembly’s historic decision to designate 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. He described the move as an important step toward promoting harmony, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among religions, cultures and civilizations.
The foreign minister also noted Pakistan’s role in the adoption of another UN General Assembly resolution aimed at strengthening global efforts to counter Islamophobia, including the proposal to appoint a United Nations Special Envoy to address the issue.
Dar welcomed the appointment of the United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia in May 2025, as well as the appointment of the Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary-General on Combating Islamophobia in May 2024, reflecting the growing international resolve to address this challenge in a coordinated and sustained manner.
Dar said Pakistan remains firmly committed to advancing international efforts to counter Islamophobia and is working with OIC member states and the UN Special Envoy on developing a UN Plan of Action to provide a structured framework to better understand, prevent and eliminate the phenomenon.
He urged the international community to unite in condemning Islamophobia and address the structural conditions that allow it to persist. Pakistan, he said, calls on all nations to make sustained efforts to promote mutual respect, dialogue and understanding among communities, and to uphold the values of tolerance, dignity and peaceful coexistence.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026