Pakistani bid to form group of OIC envoys at UN foiled.

Byline: Baqir Sajjad Syed

ISLAMABAD -- The United Arab Emirates and the Maldives together thwarted a Pakistani attempt to set up an informal group of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) envoys at the United Nations on Islamophobia.

A senior diplomatic source told Dawn that Pakistan's permanent representative at the United Nations Munir Akram highlighted the issue of Islamophobia at a recent virtual meeting of the envoys of OIC member countries at the UN.

It was a routine meeting of the envoys of OIC countries, which discussed other issues as well.

The Pakistan envoy specifically highlighted the plight of the Muslims in India and the people of occupied Kashmir, who are suffering at the hands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

He told the meeting that Islamophobia in India had become more pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic and recalled the actions taken by Modi government to change demography of occupied Kashmir by allowing non-Kashmiris to take up permanent residence in the valley.

The UAE, Maldives oppose proposal for the group on Islamophobia

Amb Akram cautioned the OIC members against being deceived by India.

He called for setting up of a group of OIC countries to consider joint actions for countering Islamophobia.

Maldivian envoy Thilmeeza Hussain, according to Maldivian media, rejected 'singling out of India' and said accusing Delhi of Islamophobia would be factually incorrect and detrimental to religious harmony is South Asia.

The UAE envoy, who was chairing the meeAting, meanwhile, rejected Pakistani reqAuest for an informal group on IslamAophobia saying it was the mandate of the OIC...