ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): The UN General Assembly Tuesday adopted, by consensus, a Moroccan resolution, co-sponsored by Pakistan, calling for countering hate speech, and strongly deploring attacks against places of worship, religious symbols, and holy books.

The resolution, entitled: ‘Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech’, won the approval of the 193-member Assembly amid growing acts of desecration of the holy Quran.

Diplomats said that Pakistan led the efforts, along with Malaysia and Egypt, to work toward the resolution of the language aimed at upholding the sanctity of religious sites, symbols, and holy books.

The paragraph reads: “Strongly deploring all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief, as well as any such acts directed against their religious symbols, holy books, homes, businesses, properties, schools, cultural centers or places of worship, as well as all attacks on and in religious places, sites and shrines in violation of international law,”

Spain submitted an amendment asking for the last words of that paragraph “in violation of international law” to be deleted.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the Spanish delegate emphasized that although such actions are deeply offensive and disrespectful, they do not constitute a violation of international law, and thus proposed the elimination of the reference to “in violation of international law”.

But the amendment to change the phrasing was defeated. It secured only 44 votes in favour, with 62 voting against. There were 24 abstentions.

Under the terms of the resolution, the General Assembly urged member states to engage with all relevant stakeholders to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue and respect and acceptance of differences, among other things, to reject the spread of hate speech that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence.

It further called on Member States and social media companies to counter hate speech and address its increasing spread, enable research into measures to reduce it, and promote users’ access to effective reporting channels.

The Assembly also voiced deep concern over the rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance, and violence,
regardless of the actors, including cases motivated by Islamophobia, on a proposal put forward by Pakistan,
and backed by Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, according to the diplomats.

Pakistan’s delegate, Bilal Chaudhry, expressing his “profound satisfaction” over the adoption of the resolution, said the text resonated with the resolution on religious hatred, presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, recently adopted at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

That landmark resolution condemned “all advocacy and manifestations of religious hatred, including recent public and premeditated acts that have desecrated the Quran” and called for countries to adopt laws enabling them to bring to justice those responsible for such acts, he pointed out.

“Islamophobia is on the rise, with the repeated incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran. These acts are not just a provocation to the feelings of more than two billion Muslims in the world, but a step to sabotage interfaith harmony and peace,” the Pakistani delegate added.

“Such incidents are also a manifestation of racial hatred and xenophobia, and absence of preventive legal deterrence, inaction, and shying away from speaking out encourages further incitement to hatred and violence,” Chaudhry said.

“The text does not seek to curtail the right to free speech, but tries to underline the special duties and responsibilities of the international community to safeguard interfaith peace and harmony,” he concluded.

APP/ift

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): The Vice Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, has said that the 5th of August was one of the most tragic, painful and catastrophic days in the modern history of Kashmir.

According to Kashmir media service (KMS) report on Friday, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, in a statement issued in Srinagar on the completion of four years of Indian siege in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, said that it was the day when Hindutva forces in flagrant violation of the international law and United Nations resolutions scrapped special status of IIOJK and deprived its people of all political, social, cultural, economic, religious and other basic rights.

He further said that 5th August was the day when the Hindutva regime with its all military might, resources and institutions attacked Kashmir and usurped the basic rights of the Kashmiri people. The Indian government, parliament, its one million troops, dozens of probe institutions, intelligence agencies and even its anti-Muslim and pro-Hindu judiciary have joined hands to conquer Kashmiris and make it part of Hindu Raster, he lamented.

While terming the 5th August as day of mourning for Kashmiris he said that the tragedy of scrapping of special status was the worst dacoity,, biggest robbery and attack on the identity, culture, and basic rights of Kashmiris and this backstabbing act will have catastrophic effects on the future of Kashmir. He appealed to the people to observe strikes in all regions of IIOJK.

He also urged Kashmiris living on both sides of the line of control and the world over to organize protests, rallies and arrange other programmes to invite attention of the world community towards unabated Hindutva terrorism in Kashmir.

Terming Kashmir a gigantic prison and world’s larger torture cell, he said every inch of Kashmir is dotted with trigger-happy troops and Kashmir has been reeling under constant siege for past four years. He said since 5th August 2019 occupation forces have butchered over 800 Kashmiris and more than 25,000 have been arrested and are languishing in Indian jails under different concocted cases.

Besides this, Indian dreaded agencies like National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA) have wreaked havoc and confiscated the properties of hundreds of pro-freedom leaders and activists. In addition to that properties of thousands of Kashmiris were demolished under different excuses by Indian authorities, he lamented.

He said the motive behind the sealing and demolition of properties is to intimidate the Kashmiris and force them into submission. This is the same colonial policy which Israel is using in Palestine to deprive them of their land and force them to migrate, he added.

The APHC leader said the immoral and unconstitutional act of August 5 by the Modi regime has impacted every walk of life besides causing loss of billions of dollars to Kashmir economy. The unending lockdown, he said, has shattered and devastated the already fragile economy of Kashmir and deprived thousands of Kashmiris from their living and jobs.

Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar said the RSS regime led by butcher Modi is hell-bent to wipe out Muslims, turn Kashmir into a graveyard and settle non-state Hindus in the disputed territory. He said issuing domicile to thousands of Indian Hindu fanatics and allotting them Kashmiri land and appointing them to high positions is a deep-rooted conspiracy to settle outsiders in Kashmir and enslave and colonize local Kashmiris. This Zionist policy is aimed at snatching everything from Kashmiris and forcing them to flee, he added.

He said despite using every brutal method to crush the popular voice of Kashmiris through military might India has failed to conquer Kashmiris and their passion for freedom is getting momentum with each passing day.

He said Kashmiris have dashed all the hopes of Hindutva elements to ground and forced them to lick the dust. Indian callous attitude, he said, has further solidified the belief of Kashmiris that India is their worst enemy and their lives, honour, future, religious identity, culture and everything is at stake under Indian subjugation. Unarmed but resilient and valiant Kashmiris have defeated the world’s sixth military power through their determination, steadfastness and indomitable spirit, he maintained.

Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar said Kashmiris have shattered the dream of RSS and again proved that they were invincible, they could be killed but not defeated. Their morale is as high as the Himalayas, he said, adding India has held them hostage on the basis of over one million troops but India must remember that if it deploys all its troops in Kashmir, shameful and humiliating defeat is its destiny.

He said the unprecedented resolve shown by the Kashmiris is the writing of the wall for Kashmiris that no power on earth can crush the Kashmiris’ legitimate freedom movement. He said it is in the interest of India to shun its obduracy and accept Kashmiris right to self-determination.

Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to Kashmiris’ freedom movement and expressed hope that Pakistan would expedite its efforts to promote Kashmir cause at international level. He also urged the international community to force India to implement United Nations resolutions on Kashmir and stop human rights violations by Indian troops in the disputed territory.

It is to be mentioned that on August 5, 2019 the Modi-led Hindutva government abrogated Kashmir’s special status and divided it into two union territories besides imposing military siege in the territory.

RAWALPINDI, Jul 27 (APP): Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, is on an official visit to Australia from July 24 for Defence and Security Talks and 1.5 Track Security Dialogue.

During the visit, the CJCSC met high-ranking civilian and military leadership including General Angus J. Campbell, Chief of Defence Forces Australia. In the meetings, both militaries agreed to further expand military-to-military cooperation, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

The CJCSC also visited Royal Military College and addressed the participants of the Australian Defence College.